B1 Confusable-words 17 min read Medio

He después de 'to be' vs. him: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?

Regla formal:
The winner was he.
Realidad informal:
The winner was him.
¡Conoce a tu audiencia!

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'he' after 'to be' in formal writing; use 'him' in everyday conversation.

  • Formal: Use subject pronouns (he, she, I) after 'to be'. Example: 'It is he.'
  • Informal: Use object pronouns (him, her, me) after 'to be'. Example: 'It's him.'
  • The Mirror Rule: The verb 'to be' is an equals sign; both sides should be subjects.
👤 (Subject) + 🔄 (To Be) + 👤 (Subject Pronoun) = 🎩 Formal

Overview

### Overview
Seguramente te ha pasado: estás viendo una película en inglés y escuchas a alguien decir It’s me al contestar el teléfono o al tocar una puerta. Sin embargo, en tu libro de gramática o en un examen de certificación, de repente aparece la frase It is I. En ese momento, te detienes y piensas: "¿Cuál es la forma correcta?
¿Acaso he estado hablando mal todo este tiempo?".
La distinción entre usar un pronombre de sujeto como he (él) o un pronombre de objeto como him (él/a él) después del verbo to be es uno de los puntos más debatidos y, a veces, confusos del inglés. Como hispanohablantes, tenemos una ventaja: nuestra gramática también distingue entre estas formas, pero la manera en que las usamos en la vida diaria frente a la gramática formal puede variar.
En esencia, este tema trata sobre la lucha entre la gramática prescriptiva (las reglas estrictas de los libros) y la gramática descriptiva (cómo habla la gente realmente en la calle, en Netflix o por WhatsApp). Para un estudiante de nivel B1, entender esta diferencia no solo te ayudará a aprobar exámenes, sino que te dará esa chispa de naturalidad al hablar. Sabrás cuándo sonar profesional y elegante, y cuándo relajarte para sonar como un nativo más.
En este artículo, vamos a desglosar por qué It is I es técnicamente lo correcto para la academia, pero por qué It’s me es el rey de la conversación. Aprenderás a dominar los subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) y los object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) en el contexto del verbo más importante del inglés: el verbo to be.
### How This Grammar Works
Para entender por qué existe esta confusión, primero debemos mirar cómo funciona el verbo to be. A diferencia de verbos de acción como eat (comer), run (correr) o kick (patear), el verbo to be es un linking verb (verbo de unión o copulativo).
El concepto del signo de igual (=)
Imagínate que el verbo to be no es una acción, sino un signo de igual. En español, los verbos copulativos por excelencia son *ser*, *estar* y *parecer*. Cuando dices
Juan es médico
, no estás diciendo que Juan le está haciendo algo a un médico.
Estás diciendo que Juan y médico son la misma persona.
En inglés, ocurre lo mismo. Si dices The winner is he, estás estableciendo una igualdad: The winner = he.
En la gramática tradicional inglesa, lo que va después de un signo de igual debe estar en el mismo caso que lo que va antes. Como The winner es el sujeto de la oración (caso nominativo), el pronombre que lo identifica también debe ser un pronombre de sujeto (he). A esto se le llama en gramática predicative nominative (nominativo predicativo).
¿Por qué nos suena raro?
Aquí es donde entra el conflicto. En inglés, estamos muy acostumbrados a que la estructura sea Sujeto + Verbo + Objeto. Por ejemplo: I saw him (Yo lo vi a él).
En esta frase, him recibe la acción de ver. Como el pronombre viene después del verbo, nuestro cerebro tiende a pensar:
Si va después del verbo, debe ser un pronombre de objeto
.
Por eso, la mayoría de los nativos dicen de forma natural It's him o It's me. Siguen el patrón rítmico de poner un objeto después del verbo. Sin embargo, los gramáticos más estrictos te dirán que, como to be no es una acción, no puede tener un objeto.
Comparativa con el español
¡Ojo aquí! En español, nosotros solemos usar el pronombre de sujeto de forma más natural en estos casos que los angloparlantes.
  • Decimos: Soy yo. (Usamos el sujeto yo).
  • Rara vez diríamos: Me soy (lo cual no tiene sentido).
Curiosamente, la forma gramaticalmente correcta en inglés (It is I) se parece más a nuestro Soy yo. Pero la forma común en inglés (It's me) se parece a una estructura que en español no usamos para identificarnos. Esta es una de las pocas veces donde la regla formal del inglés se alinea más con nuestra lógica, pero la práctica común se aleja.
### Formation Pattern
La formación de esta estructura depende totalmente del registro (formal o informal) que decidas usar. Aquí te presento el patrón para la forma formal, que es la que te exigirán en contextos académicos o profesionales de alto nivel.
La Fórmula Formal:
Sujeto + [Verbo To Be] + Subject Pronoun (I, he, she, we, they)
| Sujeto | Verbo To Be | Pronombre de Sujeto (Formal) | Pronombre de Objeto (Informal) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| It | is | I | me |
| The culprit | was | he | him |
| The winners | were | they | them |
| The person you want | is | she | her |
| If I | were | he | him |
Ejemplos en diferentes tiempos verbales:
  1. 1Presente Simple: Who is at the door? It is I. (Muy formal, casi sacado de una novela de época).
  2. 2Pasado Simple: If anyone was responsible, it was she. (Usado en un reporte formal o juicio).
  3. 3Futuro: The next president will be he. (En un discurso oficial).
  4. 4Condicional: If I were he, I would take the job. (Regla de subjuntivo + nominativo predicativo).
La excepción de It’s me
Es vital mencionar que It’s me es una excepción tan aceptada que usar It is I en una cafetería te hará sonar como un viajero del tiempo del siglo XVIII. Incluso en la mayoría de los libros de texto modernos de nivel B1, se acepta It’s me como la norma para la comunicación diaria. Sin embargo, para los otros pronombres (he/him, she/her), la distinción sigue siendo una marca de buen nivel educativo en contextos escritos.
### When To Use It
Saber elegir entre he y him después de to be es una cuestión de etiqueta lingüística. Es como decidir si vas a una reunión en traje o en jeans.
1. Cuándo usar el pronombre de sujeto (he, she, I, they) - El Traje Formal
Debes usar esta forma cuando el contexto requiera máxima precisión y respeto por las normas tradicionales:
  • Escritura académica: En ensayos para la universidad, tesis o artículos de investigación. Ejemplo: The primary investigator was she.
  • Documentos legales y oficiales: Contratos, declaraciones ante un juez o reportes policiales. Ejemplo: The suspect identified in the video was he.
  • Discursos formales: Si estás dando una presentación en una conferencia internacional o una entrevista de trabajo muy seria.
  • Exámenes de gramática pura: Si estás tomando un examen donde se evalúa la gramática prescriptiva (como algunas secciones muy específicas del TOEFL o Cambridge en niveles avanzados).
2. Cuándo usar el pronombre de objeto (him, her, me, them) - Los Jeans Cómodos
Esta es la forma que usarás el 95% del tiempo en tu vida diaria:
  • Conversaciones cotidianas: Con amigos, familia o compañeros de trabajo. Decir It's him! al señalar a alguien en una foto es lo natural.
  • Mensajería instantánea y redes sociales: En WhatsApp, Slack o comentarios de Instagram. That was her at the party!
  • Cine, música y series: Verás que los personajes casi siempre dicen It's me, It's them.
  • Correos electrónicos informales: Si le escribes a un colega con el que tienes confianza.
Un truco profesional: El teléfono
Hay una situación híbrida muy común. Cuando llamas a alguien y preguntas por una persona, por ejemplo: Can I speak to Juan?.
Si Juan es quien atiende, él podría responder:
  • This is he. (Muy profesional, común en ambientes de oficina en EE. UU.).
  • Speaking! (Más común y directo).
  • It's me. (Solo si ya te conoce bien).
### Common Mistakes
Como hispanohablantes, nuestra interferencia lingüística (L1 transfer) y el deseo de sonar correctos pueden jugarnos malas pasadas. Aquí te detallo los errores más comunes:
1. La Hipercorrección (El error del sabelotodo)
La hipercorrección ocurre cuando aprendes una regla formal y tratas de aplicarla en todos lados, incluso donde no va. El error más famoso es decir Between you and I.
  • Incorrecto: This secret is between you and I.
  • Correcto: This secret is between you and me.
¿Por qué? Porque between es una preposición, y después de una preposición siempre debe ir un pronombre de objeto. Muchos nativos cometen este error porque piensan que I suena más culto que me, pero terminan rompiendo otra regla.
2. Traducir literalmente Soy yo
En español decimos Soy yo. Si intentas traducirlo palabra por palabra al inglés, podrías decir I am I o Am I.
  • Error: Who is there? *Am I!
  • Explicación: En inglés, las frases de identificación casi siempre necesitan el sujeto impersonal It. Por eso usamos It is I o It is me. Nunca olvides el It.
3. Confusión en oraciones con who
Este es un error de nivel intermedio-avanzado. Mira estas dos frases:
  • It is I who am responsible. (Correcto pero suena muy extraño).
  • It is me who is responsible. (Lo que la gente dice).
El error aquí es que, si usas el pronombre formal I, el verbo que sigue al who debe concordar con I (por eso se usa am). Como esto suena tan raro incluso para los nativos, la mayoría prefiere usar la forma informal para evitar complicaciones gramaticales.
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
Es fundamental no confundir los verbos de unión (linking verbs) con los verbos de acción. Esta tabla te ayudará a ver la diferencia de un vistazo:
| Tipo de Verbo | Función | Ejemplo con Pronombre | ¿Por qué? |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Linking Verb (to be) | Conecta/Iguala | The leader is he. | He identifica al sujeto. |
| Action Verb (see, call) | Transfiere acción | I called him. | Him recibe la llamada. |
| Preposition (with, for) | Indica relación | This is for him. | Las preposiciones exigen objeto. |
| Linking Verb (seem) | Describe estado | It seemed to be her. | (Aquí se prefiere el objeto casi siempre). |
¡Ojo con otros verbos copulativos!
Aunque técnicamente verbos como seem (parecer) o become (convertirse en) funcionan como to be, en el inglés moderno es extremadamente raro usar pronombres de sujeto con ellos. Casi nadie diría He seemed to be she. En estos casos, incluso en contextos formales, verás el uso de pronombres de objeto: He seemed to be her.
### Quick FAQ
1. Si estoy en una entrevista de trabajo, ¿qué debo decir?
Lo mejor es buscar un punto medio. Si te preguntan Are you the candidate who applied for the manager position?, puedes responder Yes, that's me con una sonrisa. Suena seguro y natural.
Si quieres sonar extremadamente profesional, puedes decir Yes, I am he, pero ten cuidado: si no lo dices con total naturalidad, puede sonar forzado.
2. ¿Por qué It's me suena mejor que It is I?
Es una cuestión de evolución lingüística. Los idiomas tienden a simplificarse. En inglés, la posición después del verbo está tan fuertemente asociada con los objetos que el cerebro nativo prefiere me por puro ritmo. Es lo que llamamos uso idiomático.
3. ¿Esta regla aplica para we y us?
Sí. En una situación muy formal, si alguien pregunta Who made this decision?, podrías decir It was we. Pero en la vida real, el 99% de las veces dirás It was us o simplemente We did.
4. ¿Qué pasa si uso la forma incorrecta en un examen?
Depende del examen. En un examen de B1 (como el PET de Cambridge), generalmente se aceptan ambas, pero se prefiere la naturalidad. En exámenes de gramática muy técnica de nivel C1 o C2, es mejor conocer la regla formal por si acaso.

Pronoun Choice After 'To Be'

Subject Verb (To Be) Formal Pronoun Informal Pronoun
It
is
I
me
It
is
he
him
It
is
she
her
It
is
we
us
It
is
they
them
The winner
was
he
him
The callers
were
they
them

Common Contractions (Informal Only)

Full Form Contraction Usage
It is him
It's him
Very Common
That is her
That's her
Common
It is me
It's me
Universal
It is them
It's them
Common

Meanings

This rule determines which pronoun case to use following a linking verb (specifically 'to be'). It distinguishes between traditional grammatical correctness and modern idiomatic usage.

1

Identification (Formal)

Using the subjective case (he) to identify a person in a formal or academic context.

“It was he who first discovered the error.”

“The winner of the prize is she.”

2

Identification (Informal)

Using the objective case (him) for identification in natural, everyday speech.

“Who's that in the photo? Oh, that's him.”

“It's me! Open the door.”

3

Phone/Intercom Etiquette

A specific scenario where both forms are frequently encountered depending on the speaker's desired level of politeness.

“May I speak to John? 'This is he.'”

“Is that Sarah? 'Yeah, it's her.'”

Reference Table

Reference table for He después de 'to be' vs. him: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
Pronombre de Sujeto Pronombre de Objeto Ejemplo Formal Correcto (tras 'to be')
`I`
`me`
The one who called was `I`.
`you`
`you`
The best candidate is `you`.
`he`
`him`
We thought the captain was `he`.
`she`
`her`
I'm certain the owner is `she`.
`it`
`it`
Yes, that is `it`.
`we`
`us`
The people responsible are `we`.
`they`
`them`
The winners will be `they`.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
This is he.

This is he. (Phone call)

Neutral
Yes, that's me.

Yes, that's me. (Phone call)

Informal
Yeah, it's me.

Yeah, it's me. (Phone call)

Jerga
Yo, you got him.

Yo, you got him. (Phone call)

Pronombres de Sujeto vs. Objeto tras 'To Be'

Formal (Usa Pronombre de Sujeto)
The winner was he. Correcto para ensayos y reportes.
It is I. Técnicamente correcto pero suena rígido.
Informal (Usa Pronombre de Objeto)
The winner was him. Natural en el habla diaria.
It's me. Estándar en casi todo contexto.

¿Qué pronombre debo usar?

1

¿Es el verbo una forma de 'to be' (is, was, were...)?

YES
¿Es un contexto formal (ensayo, examen)?
NO
Usa el pronombre de objeto (ej. 'I saw him').
2

¿Es un contexto formal (ensayo, examen)?

YES
Usa el pronombre de sujeto (ej. 'It was he').
NO
Usa el pronombre de objeto (ej. 'It was him').

Pronombres tras verbos de unión

To Be

Pronombres de Sujeto

  • I It was I.
  • He / She The spy was she.

Pronombres de Objeto

  • me It's me.
  • him / her It was her.

El contexto es la clave

✍️

Formal / Escrito

  • It was he.
  • The director is she.
  • The guilty parties were they.
🗣️

Informal / Hablado

  • It was him.
  • The director is her.
  • That's them over there!

Ejemplos por nivel

1

It is me!

It is me!

2

That is him over there.

That is him over there.

3

Is it her?

Is it her?

4

It's not them.

It's not them.

1

I thought it was him.

I thought it was him.

2

It's me, Sarah.

It's me, Sarah.

3

The winner is her!

The winner is her!

4

Was it him who called?

Was it him who called?

1

If you need the doctor, it is he.

If you need the doctor, it is he.

2

This is she speaking.

This is she speaking.

3

It was him who broke the window, not me.

It was him who broke the window, not me.

4

I'm sure it was they who arrived first.

I'm sure it was they who arrived first.

1

It was he who spearheaded the project.

It was he who spearheaded the project.

2

The person you are looking for is I.

The person you are looking for is I.

3

Despite the evidence, it wasn't him.

Despite the evidence, it wasn't him.

4

It is they who must decide the future.

It is they who must decide the future.

1

Should the culprit be he, we shall act.

Should the culprit be he, we shall act.

2

It is I who am responsible for this mess.

It is I who am responsible for this mess.

3

The only ones left were he and she.

The only ones left were he and she.

4

It's him we need to worry about.

It's him we need to worry about.

1

Were it he, the outcome would differ.

Were it he, the outcome would differ.

2

It is he to whom we owe our gratitude.

It is he to whom

3

The ghost was thought to be he.

The ghost was thought to be he.

4

It's him, the man from my dreams.

It's him, the man from my dreams.

Fácil de confundir

To-be-he vs. To-be-him: What's the Difference? vs Who vs. Whom

Both involve the choice between subjective (who/he) and objective (whom/him) cases.

To-be-he vs. To-be-him: What's the Difference? vs Than I vs. Than me

Learners often think 'than' is a preposition (requiring 'me') rather than a conjunction (requiring 'I').

To-be-he vs. To-be-him: What's the Difference? vs Compound Subjects (He and I)

Learners often say 'Him and me went' because they are used to object pronouns coming later in sentences.

Errores comunes

It is he.

It's me / It's him.

At A1, 'It is he' sounds too strange and robotic. Use the informal version.

Me am here.

I am here.

Don't confuse the 'to be' rule with the basic subject rule.

Is him?

Is it him?

Forgetting the dummy subject 'it'.

That him.

That is him.

Dropping the verb 'to be'.

I saw he.

I saw him.

Using the 'to be' rule for action verbs.

It's he.

It's him.

Mixing a contraction (informal) with a formal pronoun.

Them are my friends.

They are my friends.

Using object pronouns as subjects.

Between you and I, it was him.

Between you and me, it was him.

Hypercorrection: using 'I' after a preposition.

It was him who did it.

It was he who did it.

In a formal essay, 'him' is considered too casual.

If I was him...

If I were he...

Combining the wrong pronoun with the wrong mood (subjunctive).

It is him whom I love.

It is he whom I love.

In high-level formal writing, the predicate nominative must be subjective.

The culprits were them.

The culprits were they.

Formal plural predicate nominative.

It is me who is responsible.

It is I who am responsible.

The verb 'am' must agree with 'I', not 'me'.

Patrones de oraciones

It was ___ who called you.

If I were ___, I would leave.

That's ___!

The winner of the race is ___.

Real World Usage

Answering the Phone very common

This is she.

Texting a Friend constant

It's him!

Job Interview occasional

The best candidate is I.

Police Lineup rare

That's him, officer.

Academic Essay common

It was he who initiated the change.

Social Media Caption very common

Just me and him.

💡

La prueba del signo igual

Si puedes cambiar el verbo 'to be' por un '=' y tiene sentido, usa pronombre de sujeto: The winner = he.
⚠️

No lo uses en ensayos

Evita estructuras informales como 'It was him' en trabajos de la universidad o correos profesionales.
The culprit was he
es mejor.
🎯

Domina el 'It's me'

La frase 'It's me' es la excepción total. Es tan común que se acepta en casi todo momento al hablar: "It's me, open the door!"
🌍

Sonar natural vs. 'Correcto'

En el día a día, decir 'It was I' suena a película de época. Sé natural al hablar:
It was him, I saw it!

Smart Tips

Use 'This is he' or 'This is she' to sound instantly more authoritative.

Yeah, that's me. This is he.

Avoid contractions and use subject pronouns after 'to be'.

It's him who started the war. It was he who initiated the conflict.

Try reversing the sentence. If 'Him is the winner' sounds wrong, then 'The winner is him' is the informal version.

The winner is him. He is the winner.

Match the pronoun to the 'who' clause. 'It is I who am' vs 'It is me who is'.

It's me who is going. It is I who am going.

Pronunciación

/ɪts ˈhɪm/ vs /ɪt ˈɪz hi/

Contraction Stress

In the informal 'It's him', the stress is usually on 'him'. In the formal 'It is he', the stress is often on 'is'.

Rising for questions

Is it him? ↗

Seeking confirmation

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

The 'Be' is a mirror: what you see on the left (Subject) is what you see on the right (Subject).

Asociación visual

Imagine a king looking into a mirror. He doesn't see a servant (him); he sees another king (he).

Rhyme

If the verb is 'be', use 'he'. If the verb is 'do', 'him' will do.

Story

A man named 'He' walked into the 'Is' Mirror Shop. When he looked in the mirror, he didn't see a stranger named 'Him'; he saw himself, 'He'.

Word Web

Linking VerbPredicate NominativeSubjective CaseObjective CaseRegisterFormalInformal

Desafío

Try answering your next phone call from a friend with 'This is he/she' and see if they notice how formal you sound!

Notas culturales

Answering 'This is he' or 'This is she' is considered the gold standard of professional phone etiquette.

Upper-class or 'Received Pronunciation' speakers are more likely to use 'It is I' in social settings than Americans.

Songwriters almost never use 'It is he' because it sounds unnatural in a rhythmic, emotional context.

Old English had a robust case system where the predicate nominative was strictly required. As the language evolved, the position of the word (after the verb) became more important than its function.

Inicios de conversación

If you could be any famous person for a day, who would it be? 'It would be...'

Look at this old photo. Is that you? 'Yes, it's...'

Someone left a bag here. Do you think it was him?

If the president called you, how would you answer? 'This is...'

Temas para diario

Write about a time you were mistaken for someone else. Use 'It was him' or 'It was he' at least three times.
Describe a hero from a book. Why was it he/she who saved the day?
Write a dialogue between a very formal butler and a casual teenager.
Who is the most influential person in your life? 'It is...'

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto


Incorrect

Correcto

Test Yourself

Elige el pronombre correcto para un reporte escrito formal.

The person responsible for the final check was ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: she
En escritura formal, se usa un pronombre de sujeto ('she') tras el verbo 'to be' ('was') para renombrar al sujeto.
¿Qué oración es gramaticalmente correcta para un ensayo formal? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The winners were they.
'were' es una forma de 'to be', así que el pronombre debe ser de sujeto ('they'), no de objeto ('them').
Corrige esta frase informal para que sea adecuada en un contexto formal. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

In the video call, I realized the new manager was him.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: In the video call, I realized the new manager was he.
Para que sea formal, cambiamos el pronombre de objeto 'him' por el de sujeto 'he' tras el verbo de unión 'was'.

Score: /3

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Choose the correct formal pronoun for a business letter. Opción múltiple

If anyone is to blame for the delay, it is ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: he
In formal writing, use the subjective case 'he' after the linking verb 'is'.
Fill in the blank with the informal pronoun.

Who's at the door? It's ___ (me/I)!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: me
In casual speech, 'me' is the standard choice.
Correct the hypercorrection in this sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

I called he yesterday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I called him yesterday.
'Called' is an action verb, so it must be followed by the objective case 'him'.
Change this informal sentence into a formal one. Sentence Transformation

It was them who won.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: It was they who won.
The formal version of 'them' after 'was' is 'they'.
Complete the professional phone dialogue. Dialogue Completion

Caller: 'May I speak with Sarah?' Sarah: 'This is ___.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: she
'This is she' is the standard professional response.
Match the register to the sentence. Match Pairs

1. It's him. 2. It is he.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-Informal, 2-Formal
Subject pronouns are formal; object pronouns are informal.
Which pronouns follow 'It is' in formal English? Grammar Sorting

Sort: Him, He, Me, I, Her, She

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He, I, She
These are the subjective case pronouns.
Is this sentence grammatically correct in formal English? True False Rule

'The person in the mask was him.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Formally, it should be 'was he'.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

11 exercises
Elige el pronombre para esta frase hablada casual. Completar huecos

Who's that? I think it's ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: him
Completa la frase para un contexto formal. Completar huecos

The last people to leave the building were ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: they
¿Qué frase es mejor para un mensaje a un amigo? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Was that you at the cafe?
Encuentra y corrige el error para que sea formal. Error Correction

The best person for the job is definitely her.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The best person for the job is definitely she.
Escribe la frase correcta para un entorno formal. Traducción

Traduce al inglés: 'La persona que llamó fui yo.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["The person who called was I."]
Ordena las palabras para formar una frase formal. Sentence Reorder

Ordena las palabras:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I thought it was he.
Une cada pronombre de sujeto con su correspondiente de objeto. Match Pairs

Une los pronombres:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Rellena el espacio para esta frase hipotética formal. Completar huecos

If I were ___, I would accept the offer immediately.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: he
¿Cuál de estas frases súper formales es correcta? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Had it been they, we would have known.
Encuentra y corrige el error. Error Correction

The person you need to speak to is me.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The person you need to speak to is I.
Ordena las palabras para formar una pregunta. Sentence Reorder

Ordena las palabras:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Was it really she?

Score: /11

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

No. In modern English, `It's me` is considered grammatically acceptable in almost all contexts. Only the most traditional grammarians would call it an error.

It's a survival of old formal etiquette. It signals to the caller that you are professional and educated.

Yes, but it's a mix of styles. `It is he who...` is the consistent formal choice.

Informally, `It's them` is fine. Formally, use `It is they`.

Yes, all forms of the verb `to be` follow this rule.

In a casual setting, yes, it can sound a bit 'stuck up'. Use `It's me` to be friendly.

Informally, `It was him and me`. Formally, `It was he and I`.

Remember the 'Mirror Rule': if you can swap the words (`He is it`), use the subject form.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

In Other Languages

Spanish moderate

Soy yo / Es él

Spanish is always 'formal' by English standards in this rule.

French high

C'est moi / C'est lui

French never uses the subject pronoun (je, il) in this position.

German moderate

Ich bin es / Er ist es

The word order is often reversed (I am it).

Japanese low

Watashi desu / Kare desu

No distinction between subjective and objective pronouns.

Arabic low

Ana / Huwa

The 'linking' happens without a verb.

Chinese low

Shì wǒ / Shì tā

There is no case distinction to worry about.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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