Third-Person Pronouns | List & Examples
Third-person pronouns refer to other nouns, which can be people (e.g., “she,” “he,” and “they”) as well as places, ideas, or objects (e.g., “it” or “they”).
Like first-person pronouns and second-person pronouns, third-person pronouns can be singular or plural, and there are four types—subject, object, possessive, and reflexive.
| Subject | Object | Possessive | Reflexive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | he, she, it | him, her, it | his, hers, its | himself, herself, itself |
| Singular or plural | they | them | theirs | themselves, themself, |
| Plural | they | them | theirs | themselves |
The pronouns “they,” “them,” “theirs,” and “themselves” can be singular or plural depending on who or what they represent.
- The singular “they” pronouns refer to a nonbinary person or a hypothetical person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown.
- As plurals, the forms of “they” refer to two or more people or objects.
Table of contents
- Third-person subject pronouns (he, she, it, they)
- Third-person object pronouns (him, her, them, it)
- Third-person possessive pronouns (hers, his, its, theirs)
- Third-person reflexive pronouns (herself, himself, themself, itself, themselves)
- Third-person pronouns and antecedents
- Third-person pronouns in academic writing
- Frequently asked questions about third-person pronouns
Third-person subject pronouns (he, she, it, they)
Third-person subject pronouns (“he,” “she,” “it,” and “they”) play two main roles in sentences:
- The subject of a sentence, clause, or question that performs the action of the verb
- A predicate nominative that follows a linking verb and renames or describes the subject
“It” always refers to a noun that’s not a person. “They” can refer to any plural noun, including people or objects.
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject of a sentence | Before it rained, she mowed the lawn and trimmed the hedges. |
| Subject of a question | What did they find in the ancient Egyptian tomb? |
| Predicate nominative | The person who won the baking contest was he. |
A third-person subject pronoun can also be part of a compound subject or a compound predicate nominative. A common error with compound subjects is to use object pronouns instead of subject pronouns, but this is always incorrect.
- Me and her are driving to the Grand Canyon in October.
- She and I are driving to the Grand Canyon in October.
- Is Tate the one sending all those memes? Yes, it’s he again! [subject pronoun]
- Is Tate the one sending all those memes? Yes, it’s him again! [object pronoun]
- The neighbors I talk to the most are they. [subject pronoun]
- The neighbors I talk to the most are them. [object pronoun]
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you choose correct third-person pronouns in your writing.
Third-person object pronouns (him, her, them, it)
When a third-person pronoun plays any of the following roles, an object pronoun (“him,” “her,” “them,” and “it”) is the correct choice:
- A direct object that receives the action of the verb
- An indirect object that receives the direct object
- The object of a preposition, such as “with” or “beside”
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Direct object | The city should hire him to coach the new football team. |
| Indirect object | People often succeed if you give them a chance. |
| Object of a preposition | Mabel lives across from her in the Upper West Side. |
“It” can be a subject pronoun or an object pronoun. This pronoun can represent any noun except a person. “It” can also refer to the current situation or the weather (e.g., “It is too cold to swim today”).
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Subject pronoun | That restaurant is popular because it has the best burgers. |
| Object pronoun | When you’re done with your plate, please put it in the sink. |
Third-person possessive pronouns (hers, his, its, theirs)
A third-person possessive pronoun (“hers,” “his,” “its,” and “theirs”) represents something that belongs to another person or group of people (e.g., “Those books are his”).
These pronouns are similar to the possessive determiners “her,” “his,” “its,” and “their,” which go before the nouns that their antecedents own. Possessive determiners always go with a noun, but possessive pronouns stand alone as subjects or objects in sentences.
The cocktail lounge that won the James Beard award is hers.
Of all the paintings in the gallery, I prefer his.
Either way, be careful not to confuse “its” and “it’s.” The possessive pronoun or determiner “its” has no apostrophe. “It’s” (with an apostrophe) is a contraction for “it is” or “it has” (e.g., “It’s already raining again”).
Third-person reflexive pronouns (herself, himself, themself, itself, themselves)
A third-person reflexive pronoun can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition if it refers to the same person or thing as the subject of the sentence. The subject can be the antecedent (the noun that the pronoun represents) or a subject pronoun that has the same antecedent as the reflexive pronoun.
Paul made himself a delicious barbeque brisket sandwich.
This novel practically writes itself.
Andrew and Whitney bought themselves a new truck.
Third-person reflexive pronouns are sometimes intensive pronouns, in which case, they emphasize the third-person subject. An intensive pronoun can go after the subject (e.g., “she herself”), after the subject and verb (e.g., “he said himself”), or at the end of a sentence (e.g., “Can you believe Maya made this bread herself?”).
Helen said herself that she doesn’t like surprises.
Lindsey and Hans built the shed themselves.
- Darian helped themself to another slice of key lime pie.
- Every mental health provider should give themselves plenty of rest and self care.
Third-person pronouns and antecedents
A third-person pronoun should always have a clear antecedent (the noun that the pronoun represents). When you’re writing, the antecedent should usually be in the previous sentence. It can also be in the same sentence as the pronoun. Naming the antecedent prevents confusion about who or what each pronoun represents.
Tortillas are off the menu because we sold them all this morning.
Third-person pronouns must also agree in number with their antecedents. Singular third-person nouns need singular pronouns, and plural third-person nouns need plural pronouns.
However, pronoun-antecedent agreement errors rarely happen when the antecedents are people. That’s because “they” is a correct singular or plural. Style guides such as APA now advise against using “he or she” or “he” to mean “one hypothetical person.”
Pronoun-agreement errors are more likely when the antecedent is an object, in which case the singular “it” is confused for the plural “they.”
- Each student should bring his or her own lunch.
- Each student should bring their own lunch.
- The new deck of cards is still in their box.
- The new deck of cards is still in its box.
Third-person pronouns in academic writing
Many forms of academic writing only use the third-person point of view, especially genres that shouldn’t include personal experiences or autobiographical details. Some academic genres that only use third person include literary analysis essays or academic arguments.
In assignments that don’t require you to write about your own experiences, avoid unnecessary use of first-person phrases, such as “I think” or “I believe.”
- I think that the city should provide more services for unhoused populations.
- The city should provide more services for unhoused populations.
- I noticed that Poe uses alliteration and short sentence structures to create suspense.
- Poe uses alliteration and short sentence structures to create suspense.
In assignments that require you to write about your own experiences or your own steps in a research experiment, you’ll probably need to use a combination of first-person pronouns and third-person pronouns. These assignment types might include reflection essays, personal narratives, or essays about your research.
Unless your instructor or supervisor requires otherwise, avoid referring to yourself in the third person with phrases like “this researcher” or “this learner.”
- Using a Likert scale, this researcher surveyed 300 first-year university students about their knowledge of social media algorithms.
- Using a Likert scale, I surveyed 300 first-year university students about their knowledge of social media algorithms.
Frequently asked questions about third-person pronouns
- Is we a third-person pronoun?
-
We is not a third-person pronoun. It’s a plural first-person pronoun that refers to the people speaking or writing. “We” is also a subject pronoun that usually performs the action of the verb (e.g., “We saw a fox while hiking in the woods”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use first- and third-person pronouns correctly.
- Is themselves a pronoun?
-
Themselves is a reflexive third-person pronoun. It can be plural or singular. You can use “themselves” as an object in a sentence when the same person or group of people is the subject (e.g., “When the teacher said everyone passed the test, the students gave themselves a round of applause”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “themselves” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
“Themselves” can also be an intensive pronoun that emphasizes the subject (e.g., “My parents said themselves that they needed a vacation”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use pronouns such as “themselves” correctly.
- Is himself a pronoun?
-
Himself is a reflexive third-person pronoun that refers to a male person. You can use “himself” as an object in a sentence when the same person is the subject (e.g., “My nephew taught himself how to tie his shoes”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “himself” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
“Himself” can also be an intensive pronoun that emphasizes the subject (e.g., “Dev produced the album himself”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use pronouns such as “himself” correctly.
- Is herself a pronoun?
-
Herself is a reflexive third-person pronoun that refers to a female person. You can use “herself” as an object in a sentence when the same person is the subject (e.g., “Daphne bought herself a new coat”).
As a reflexive pronoun, “herself” can be a direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition.
“Herself” can also be an intensive pronoun that emphasizes the subject (e.g., “Miley wrote the song herself”).
QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker can help you use pronouns such as “herself” correctly.
