Correct Usage of Personal Pronouns: He vs Him

The English language, as complex and nuanced as it is, often poses challenges for native and non-native speakers alike when it comes to choosing the correct personal pronoun to use in a sentence. A common point of confusion is the differentiation between 'he' and 'him' when referring to the subject of a sentence. Let's dive into why sometimes 'he' is used and when 'him' would be the more appropriate choice.

Understanding the Subject vs. Object Distinction

One of the main reasons 'he' and 'him' are used differently is to convey the role of the noun in the sentence. 'He' is used when the noun is the subject (the doer of the action), while 'him' is used when the noun is the object (the receiver of the action).

Subject vs. Object in the Sentence:

Pretend the subject of the sentence is 'the culprit'. In the sentence 'The culprit it turned out was he', 'he' functions as the subject complement, which is a predicative complement that renames or recharacterizes the subject (the culprit). Here, 'he' is being used as a subject pronoun to refer to the subject 'The culprit'.

Reformulating the Sentence:

It's possible to rephrase the sentence to clarify its meaning:

He was the culprit it turned out. It turned out he was the culprit.

In this instance, the corrected form—'It turned out that he was the culprit'—clarifies and maintains a clear subject and action.

The Role of Natural Word Usage

Many English speakers feel that 'him' sounds more natural and fluent in certain situations. While a strict grammarian might hold that 'he' is the correct form, such rigid adherence to grammar can sometimes result in less than natural language use. In spoken and written English, especially in casual contexts, using 'him' can often sound more appropriate.

Examples in Context:

For a concrete example, consider the following scenario: 'The culprit it turned out was him.' Here, 'him' is the object, as the culprit is receiving the action of being turned out to be the culprit. Grammatically, it is correct to say 'The culprit it turned out was him' if you are referring to the object of the action.

Clarification with Examples:

Proper identification of the subject versus the object can help in choosing the correct pronoun. For example:

Subject: The thief broke into the house. (Here, 'the thief' is the subject, performing the action.) Object: The police caught the thief. (Here, 'the thief' is the object, receiving the action.)

In another instance, consider the phrase 'To him, the sentence was clear.' In this case, 'to him' is used as a prepositional phrase, and 'him' remains the object.

Conclusion:

While 'he' is often the correct choice for the subject, using 'him' can make the language sound more natural and fluent in certain contexts. The key is to understand whether the person is performing an action (subject) or receiving an action (object). Ensuring clarity and fluency in your language use, while maintaining grammatical correctness, often leads to the most effective communication.

Understanding and applying these distinctions can significantly improve your English proficiency and fluency. Whether you're writing a formal report or speaking with friends, using the correct pronoun can make a big difference in how your message is perceived.