He vs. She – Which is Correct?

He or she is a grammatically correct way to refer to one person when the person is known to be male or female, or when possibilities are being discussed. Use he for a male person and she for a female person; use singular they when gender is unknown or irrelevant.

He or She – Which Is Correct?

He and she are both correct English pronouns. The appropriate choice depends on the person’s gender or the information available about that person. He traditionally refers to one male person, while she traditionally refers to one female person.

The phrase he or she presents two possibilities: one male person or one female person. It is often used in formal writing, instructions, policies, legal documents, and older style guides when the writer wants to avoid using only a masculine pronoun.

When a person’s gender is unknown, unspecified, or not relevant, singular they is usually clearer and more inclusive. For example, “Every applicant should submit their résumé” avoids the wordier “Every applicant should submit his or her résumé.”

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Use a simple gender-and-substitution test: replace the pronoun with the person’s name. If the person is male, choose he; if the person is female, choose she. If you do not know the person’s gender, use they rather than guessing.

Remember: he = him and she = her. This pairing helps you choose the correct pronoun in a sentence such as “He called him” or “She called her.”

How to Use He

He is a third-person singular subject pronoun. Use it when referring to one male person, a person who identifies with masculine pronouns, or sometimes a male animal when its sex is known. As a subject pronoun, he normally appears before the verb.

In formal writing, do not use he automatically for every person whose gender is unknown. That practice can sound outdated or exclude people who do not identify as male. Use the person’s stated pronouns or choose singular they when the information is unknown.

Example 1: He submitted the report before the deadline.

Example 2: Marcus said he would attend the meeting.

Example 3: The dog wagged his tail when he heard the familiar voice.

What Are the Different Forms of He?

The pronoun he changes form according to its grammatical role. Use he as the subject, him as the object, his to show possession, and himself as the reflexive form.

• Subject: He arrived early.
• Object: The manager called him.
• Possessive determiner: His coat is on the chair.
• Possessive pronoun: The coat is his.
• Reflexive: He prepared himself for the interview.

Etymology of the Word He

He comes from Old English hē, a masculine third-person singular pronoun. It is related to similar forms in other Germanic languages and has remained a central English pronoun for more than a thousand years.

How to Use She

She is a third-person singular subject pronoun. Use it when referring to one female person, a person who identifies with feminine pronouns, or sometimes a female animal when its sex is known. Like he, it generally appears before the verb when it functions as the subject.

Use the pronouns a person has requested or publicly uses. Although she traditionally refers to a female person, it should not be assigned to someone merely because of appearance, name, occupation, or assumption.

Example 1: She completed the design in three days.

Example 2: Priya said she would send the invitation.

Example 3: The mare lifted her head when the rider approached.

What Are the Different Forms of She?

The forms related to she indicate whether the pronoun is the subject, object, possessive, or reflexive element in a sentence. The main forms are she, her, hers, and herself.

• Subject: She arrived early.
• Object: The manager called her.
• Possessive determiner: Her coat is on the chair.
• Possessive pronoun: The coat is hers.
• Reflexive: She prepared herself for the interview.

Etymology of the Word She

She developed from Middle English forms such as sche and sho. Its exact historical development is debated, but it became established in English as the feminine counterpart to he during the Middle English period.

Related Concepts

Understanding pronoun case, agreement, and gender helps clarify when to use he, she, he or she, or singular they.

• Personal pronouns: Personal pronouns stand in for nouns or names. Examples include he, she, him, her, and they.
• Pronoun case: Case shows a pronoun’s role. Use he and she for subjects, but him and her for objects.
• Subject-verb agreement: A singular pronoun normally takes a singular verb, as in “She works” and “He knows.”
• Singular they: Singular they refers to one person when gender is unknown, irrelevant, or when that person uses they/them pronouns.
• Inclusive language: Inclusive writing avoids unnecessary assumptions about identity and uses a person’s stated pronouns whenever possible.

Examples from Media and Literature

The choice between he, she, and singular they appears across fiction, journalism, film, and everyday communication.

• Novels: A narrator may introduce a male protagonist with “he” and a female protagonist with “she,” then maintain that pronoun consistently throughout the story.
• Biographies: A biography of a woman may use “she” when describing her education, career, and achievements; a biography of a man may use “he” in the same way.
• News reports: A report may use “he or she” when discussing an unidentified person whose gender could be either male or female, although many modern publications prefer singular “they.”
• Movies and television: Screen directions and reviews may identify a character with “he” or “she” according to the character’s established identity.
• Workplace documents: Older employee handbooks often use “he or she,” while contemporary policies commonly use “they” to make the language shorter and more inclusive.

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. Consider whether the person is known, unknown, or identified with a particular pronoun.

1. David said that ___ would call after lunch. (he / she)
2. Amira brought ___ notes to the workshop. (his / her)
3. If a customer has a question, ___ can contact the service desk. (he or she / they)
4. The supervisor thanked ___ for completing the project. (him / her)
5. Each applicant should include ___ preferred contact information. (his or her / their)

Answer Key

1. he — David is identified as male.
2. her — Amira is identified as female, and the word shows possession.
3. he or she or they — Both can be grammatical; singular they is generally more concise and inclusive.
4. him or her — The correct object pronoun depends on the person’s identity.
5. his or her or their — Both are possible, but singular their is usually more natural in modern writing.

He Synonyms

She Synonyms

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Is “he or she” grammatically correct?
Yes. “He or she” is grammatically correct when referring to one person who may be male or female. However, singular “they” is often more concise and inclusive in modern English.

Question 2: Should I use “he or she” or “they”?
Use “he or she” when the context specifically concerns male and female possibilities or when a formal style guide requires it. Use singular “they” when the person’s gender is unknown, irrelevant, or when the person uses they/them pronouns.

Question 3: Is “he/she” acceptable in formal writing?
“He/she” is understandable but often looks awkward and can be difficult to read. In most modern professional writing, rewriting the sentence with the person’s name, a plural noun, or singular “they” is preferable.

Question 4: What is the difference between “he” and “him”?
“He” is a subject pronoun, as in “He called.” “Him” is an object pronoun, as in “I called him.”

Question 5: What is the difference between “she” and “her”?
“She” is usually a subject pronoun, as in “She called.” “Her” can be an object pronoun, as in “I called her,” or a possessive determiner, as in “Her phone rang.”

Conclusion

He and she are both correct pronouns, and he or she is a valid phrase for presenting those two possibilities. Choose the pronoun that reflects the person’s identity, and use singular they when gender is unknown or irrelevant. Pro Tip: In professional writing, precise and inclusive pronoun choices improve clarity and protect your credibility.