them

The word them is one of the most fundamental building blocks of the English language. At its core, it serves as the third-person plural object pronoun. This means that whenever you are talking about a group of people, animals, or things that are receiving an action, rather than performing it, you use 'them'. It is the objective counterpart to the subjective pronoun 'they'. Understanding the distinction between subjects and objects is the first step toward mastering English syntax, and 'them' is the primary tool for identifying the targets of actions in a plural context.

Grammatical Role

In a sentence like 'I saw them,' 'I' is the subject performing the action of seeing, while 'them' is the direct object receiving that action. Without this distinction, English sentences would become ambiguous and confusing. It allows the speaker to refer back to a previously mentioned group without repeating the specific nouns, which improves the flow and efficiency of communication.

Beyond its plural use, 'them' has seen a significant evolution in modern English as a singular pronoun. This usage, often referred to as the 'singular them', is used when the gender of a person is unknown, irrelevant, or when a person identifies as non-binary. While some traditionalists previously frowned upon this, it is now widely accepted by major style guides like the APA and the Associated Press. For example, if someone leaves an umbrella behind, you might say, 'Someone left their umbrella; I should find them and return it.' This makes 'them' an incredibly versatile word that adapts to the social and linguistic needs of the era.

Syntactic Function

The word 'them' frequently follows prepositions. We say 'with them', 'for them', 'to them', and 'about them'. This positioning is crucial for indicating relationships between different entities in a story or conversation. It acts as a placeholder that maintains the continuity of the narrative.

Historically, 'them' entered the English language from Old Norse. Before this, Old English used forms like 'hī' or 'heom', which were often confused with other pronouns. The adoption of 'them' (from 'þeim') provided much-needed clarity, allowing speakers to distinguish clearly between 'him' (singular) and 'them' (plural). This historical shift highlights how English is a 'mongrel' language that absorbs the most useful features of the languages it encounters. Today, 'them' is used billions of times a day across the globe, from the simplest playground games to the most complex legal documents.

Semantic Range

While 'them' usually refers to people, it is equally applicable to inanimate objects. If you are talking about books, cars, or abstract ideas like 'problems', 'them' is the correct pronoun to use when they are the object of the verb. 'I solved the problems' becomes 'I solved them'.

Using 'them' correctly requires an understanding of sentence structure, specifically the placement of objects. In most English sentences (Subject-Verb-Object), 'them' will appear after the verb. For example, in 'Sarah invited them,' Sarah is the subject, invited is the verb, and 'them' is the object. This pattern is consistent across various tenses, whether you are saying 'Sarah invites them' (present), 'Sarah invited them' (past), or 'Sarah will invite them' (future).

Direct vs. Indirect Objects

'Them' can serve as both a direct object (the thing directly acted upon) and an indirect object (the entity for whom the action is performed). In the sentence 'I gave them the keys,' 'the keys' is the direct object, and 'them' is the indirect object. Alternatively, you can say 'I gave the keys to them,' where 'them' follows the preposition 'to'. Both are grammatically correct and convey the same meaning.

Another important usage is after prepositions. English has hundreds of prepositions, and 'them' is used after all of them when referring to a plural group. Examples include 'between them', 'among them', 'beside them', and 'under them'. This is a common area where learners might mistakenly use 'they'. Remember: if it follows a word like 'with', 'for', or 'at', use 'them'. You wouldn't say 'I went with they'; you say 'I went with them'. This rule is absolute in standard English and helps maintain the case system that, while largely vanished in English, still exists for pronouns.

With Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs like 'pick up', 'throw away', or 'put on' have specific rules for pronouns. When using 'them' with a separable phrasal verb, the pronoun must go in the middle. You say 'Pick them up,' not 'Pick up them.' This is a subtle but vital rule for sounding like a native speaker. 'I took the shoes and put them on' is the natural way to phrase it.

In complex sentences, 'them' can be used as part of a compound object. For instance, 'The invitation was for my brother and them.' Even though 'my brother' is a noun, 'them' remains in the objective case because it is the object of the preposition 'for'. A common mistake is to say 'for my brother and they', but this is incorrect. A good trick to check this is to remove the other person: you wouldn't say 'The invitation was for they', so you shouldn't say it when the brother is included either.

Interrogative Contexts

When asking questions, 'them' often appears at the end. 'Do you like them?' 'Have you seen them?' This is the most common way to inquire about a group of objects or people that have already been introduced into the conversation.

In the real world, 'them' is everywhere. It is a 'high-frequency' word, meaning it appears in almost every conversation, article, or broadcast. You will hear it in the workplace when a boss talks about 'them' (the competitors or the clients). You will hear it in sports when a commentator says, 'He's going past them!' referring to the opposing team. Because it is so common, it undergoes several phonetic changes in natural, fast-paced speech that learners should be aware of to improve their listening comprehension.

The 'Em' Reduction

In casual American English, the 'th' sound is often dropped. Phrases like 'Tell them' become 'Tell 'em'. 'I like them' becomes 'I like 'em'. This isn't 'bad' English; it's a natural linguistic process called elision. It helps the language move faster. If you watch a movie or listen to a pop song, you will hear this reduction constantly. For example, in the famous song 'Let 'Em In' by Paul McCartney, the word 'them' is shortened to fit the rhythm of the music.

In professional environments, 'them' is used to refer to departments, stakeholders, or user groups. 'We need to provide them with the latest report' or 'Let's see what they think before we commit to them.' It acts as a professional shorthand that keeps the focus on the action rather than repeating long titles. In academic writing, 'them' is used to refer to data points, subjects in a study, or previous researchers. It is a neutral, efficient word that fits perfectly into formal discourse as long as the antecedent is clear.

Regional Dialects

In some regional dialects, particularly in the Southern United States or in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), 'them' is sometimes used as a demonstrative pronoun in place of 'those'. You might hear someone say, 'Look at them shoes!' While this is common in certain communities and carries cultural weight, it is considered non-standard in formal writing or business settings. Understanding these variations is key to navigating different social landscapes in the English-speaking world.

In the digital age, 'them' is frequently used in social media and texting. Because it's a short word, it’s rarely abbreviated further (except for the ''em' mentioned earlier). It’s used to refer to 'the haters', 'the followers', or 'the photos'. On platforms like Twitter or TikTok, you might see phrases like 'I love them so much' accompanied by a picture of a celebrity or a pet. This reinforces the word's role as a primary emotional and referential target in our daily digital interactions.

Social Context

When talking about social groups, 'them' can sometimes create an 'us vs. them' mentality. This is a powerful rhetorical device used in politics and storytelling to create conflict or group identity. It’s important to be aware of the tone when 'them' is used to categorize people in this way.

Even though 'them' is an A1-level word, it is the source of many common errors, even for native speakers. The most frequent mistake is confusing 'them' (the object) with 'they' (the subject). Because both refer to a plural group, it’s easy to swap them. However, they are not interchangeable. 'They' does the action; 'them' receives the action. For example, saying 'Them are my books' is a grammatical error; it should be 'They are my books'. Conversely, 'I saw they' is incorrect; it should be 'I saw them'.

The 'Them' vs. 'Those' Confusion

Another common pitfall is using 'them' as a demonstrative adjective. A demonstrative adjective is a word that points to something specific, like 'those', 'these', or 'that'. In many informal dialects, people say 'Give me them papers.' However, in standard English, 'them' cannot be used to modify a noun directly. You must use 'those'. So, the correct version is 'Give me those papers.' If you just say 'Give them to me,' then 'them' is correct because it stands alone as a pronoun.

Hypercorrection is another interesting phenomenon. Sometimes people are so afraid of using 'them' incorrectly that they use 'they' in places where 'them' is actually required. This often happens in compound objects. For example, someone might say, 'This gift is for my parents and I.' While they think 'I' sounds more formal, 'me' is actually correct because it’s the object of the preposition. The same applies to 'them'. You should say, 'This gift is for my parents and them,' not 'for my parents and they'.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Learners often struggle with making sure 'them' refers to a plural noun. If you are talking about a single car, you must use 'it'. If you say, 'I saw the car and I liked them,' the listener will be confused because 'them' implies there was more than one car. Always double-check that the thing you are referring to is plural before using 'them'.

Finally, the 'singular they/them' can be tricky. While it is now standard, some older tests or very formal academic settings might still expect 'him or her'. However, 'them' is increasingly the safer and more inclusive choice. The mistake here is usually using 'them' when the subject is clearly identified as a specific gendered individual. If you know you are talking about 'John', you should use 'him'. Using 'them' for a known individual whose gender is binary and known can lead to confusion about how many people you are talking about.

Reflexive Confusion

Sometimes people use 'them' when they should use 'themselves'. If the subject and the object are the same group, use the reflexive form. 'The children washed them' means the children washed some other things. 'The children washed themselves' means they washed their own bodies.

When looking for alternatives to 'them', you have to consider the context. Because 'them' is a pronoun, its primary 'competitors' are other pronouns or specific nouns. If you want to avoid repeating 'them' too many times in a paragraph, you might replace it with the actual noun it refers to, or use a more specific pronoun if the group size changes. However, 'them' is so foundational that there aren't many direct synonyms; rather, there are words that perform similar functions in different contexts.

Them vs. Those

'Those' is a demonstrative pronoun. It is used to point to a specific group, often at a distance. 'I want those' (pointing to specific cakes) vs 'I want them' (referring to cakes we just talked about). 'Those' provides more emphasis and spatial information than 'them'.

Them vs. These

Similarly, 'these' refers to a plural group that is close to the speaker. If you are holding a stack of cards, you say 'I am holding these'. Once you put them down and walk away, you might say 'I left them on the table'. 'Them' is the neutral referent, while 'these' and 'those' are for pointing.

In terms of gender-neutral singular usage, 'them' is the standard. However, some people use 'that person' or 'the individual' to be more formal. For example, instead of 'Give it to them,' you might say 'Give it to the individual concerned.' This is common in legal or highly formal corporate writing. In poetry or archaic English, you might see 'thee' or 'ye', but these are completely different in meaning and usage and are not modern alternatives to 'them'.

Collective Nouns

Sometimes you can replace 'them' with a collective noun to add variety. Instead of 'I like them' (referring to a team), you could say 'I like the group' or 'I like the squad'. This adds descriptive detail while performing the same grammatical function.

Another comparison is with 'it'. Use 'it' for singular inanimate objects and 'them' for plural. This is a very common point of confusion for speakers of languages where pluralization rules are different. If you have one pen, you lose 'it'. If you have two pens, you lose 'them'. This distinction is vital for clarity in English. Even if the objects are of different types (a pen and a pencil), once they are grouped together, they become 'them'.

Them vs. 'Us'

'Us' is the first-person plural object (including the speaker). 'Them' is the third-person plural object (excluding the speaker). If you are part of the group, use 'us'. If you are looking at the group from the outside, use 'them'.