They vs. Them – Which is Correct?

“They” and “them” are both correct English pronouns, but they serve different grammatical roles. Use “they” as a subject for the person or people performing an action, and “them” as an object receiving it. This guide explains their forms, pronunciation, singular and plural uses, examples, common mistakes, and memory tips.

They or Them – Which is Correct?

They and them are both correct. The difference is grammatical: they is usually a subject pronoun, while them is an object pronoun.

Use they when the pronoun performs the action or follows a linking verb. Use them when the pronoun receives the action, follows a preposition, or refers to people or things being discussed.

Because their meanings and roles differ, distinguishing There vs. Their vs. They’re can prevent similar pronoun confusion.

• They called the office. The pronoun performs the action.
• The manager thanked them. The pronoun receives the action.
• The people waiting outside are them. The pronoun follows a linking verb.

Both words can refer to multiple people or things. In modern English, they and them can also refer to one person when that person uses they/them pronouns or when the person’s gender is unknown or irrelevant.

The Best Trick to Remember the Difference

Use the he/she versus him/her swap test. If he or she sounds correct, choose they. If him or her sounds correct, choose them.

• They arrived early. → He arrived early.
• I spoke with them. → I spoke with him.

Word	Part of Speech	Meaning	Example
They	Subject pronoun	Refers to people or things performing an action	They finished the project.
Them	Object pronoun	Refers to people or things receiving an action or following a preposition	We congratulated them.

How to Use They

They is a subject pronoun. It replaces a plural noun or a singular person and normally appears before the verb in a sentence. It can refer to a group of people, a group of objects, or one person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or expressed through they/them pronouns.

With plural antecedents, they generally takes a plural verb: “They are ready,” not “They is ready.” With singular they, standard English still commonly uses the plural verb form: “They are ready,” even when the pronoun refers to one person.

Example 1: They organized the conference carefully.

Example 2: Someone left their umbrella, but they may return for it.

Example 3: Jordan said they would send the report tomorrow.

What are the different forms of They?

The main forms in the they pronoun set are they, them, their, and theirs. They is the subject form, them is the object form, their is the possessive determiner, and theirs is the possessive pronoun. The reflexive form is commonly themselves; themself is also used by some people with singular they.

• They completed the assignment.
• The teacher praised them.
• That is their decision.
• The decision was theirs.
• They prepared themselves for the interview.

Etymology of the word They

They comes from Old Norse þeir, which influenced Middle English and gradually replaced the older English plural pronouns derived from Old English. The modern spelling became established during the development of Middle English. Its singular use has existed for centuries and is now widely recognized in standard English.

How to Use Them

Them is an object pronoun. Use it when people or things receive an action, follow a preposition, or appear as the complement of a verb. It can refer to a plural group or to one person who uses they/them pronouns.

Common patterns include “I saw them,” “Give the documents to them,” and “The finalists are them.” In formal writing, avoid replacing them with they when the pronoun is clearly an object. For example, “The supervisor interviewed them” is standard, while “The supervisor interviewed they” is incorrect.

Example 1: We invited them to the planning meeting.

Example 2: Please send the completed forms to them.

Example 3: I met Casey yesterday and gave them the book.

What are the different forms of Them?

Them is the object form in the they pronoun set. Its related forms are they for subjects, their for possessive descriptions, theirs for possessive complements, and themselves or, in some singular contexts, themself for reflexive use.

• They presented the proposal.
• The panel questioned them.
• Their proposal was successful.
• The successful proposal was theirs.
• They evaluated the results themselves.

Etymology of the word Them

Them developed from Old Norse þeim, the dative and plural form of a pronoun meaning “those.” Norse influence helped replace the older Old English object form him in plural contexts. Over time, them became the standard object form corresponding to they.

Related Concepts

Understanding subjects, objects, and pronoun agreement makes the difference between they and them much easier to identify.

• Subject pronouns: Subject pronouns perform an action or appear as the subject of a sentence. Common examples include I, you, he, she, we, and they.
• Object pronouns: Object pronouns receive an action or follow a preposition. Examples include me, you, him, her, us, and them.
• Singular they: Singular they refers to one person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or represented by they/them pronouns. It is common in everyday, academic, professional, and journalistic English.
• Pronoun agreement: A pronoun should clearly match the noun or person it represents. With they, the verb is generally plural in form, as in “They are” and “They have.”

Examples from Media and Literature

Writers and speakers use they and them in both plural and singular contexts across literature, film, journalism, and everyday media.

• Literature: In novels with multiple central characters, authors commonly use “they” to describe a group acting together, such as characters leaving a building or making a shared decision.
• News reporting: Journalists often use singular “they” when a person’s identity is not yet known, as in a report stating that investigators asked witnesses to contact them.
• Film and television: Dialogue frequently uses “them” after verbs and prepositions, as in “I told them,” “We saw them,” or “Go with them.”
• Workplace communication: Professional messages use “they” for teams, departments, and organizations: “They will review the application.”
• Contemporary personal introductions: A person who uses they/them pronouns may be described with sentences such as “They joined the team” and “The manager spoke with them.”

Practice Exercises

Choose the correct word to complete each sentence.

1. _____ are responsible for updating the schedule.
2. The coordinator emailed _____ after the meeting.
3. I spoke with Morgan, and _____ said the appointment was confirmed.
4. The invitation was addressed to _____.
5. Several students said _____ had completed the assignment.

Answer Key

1. They — The pronoun is the subject performing the action.
2. Them — The pronoun receives the action of “emailed.”
3. They — The pronoun is the subject of “said.”
4. Them — The pronoun follows the preposition “to.”
5. They — The pronoun is the subject of “had completed.”

They Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Those people	A more explicit phrase referring to a group of people
The group	A noun phrase that identifies multiple people acting together
The individuals	A formal phrase emphasizing separate people within a group
He or she	A traditional gender-specific alternative in some contexts; they is often more inclusive

Them Synonyms

Synonym	Definition
Those people	An explicit phrase used when referring to people as an object
The group	A noun phrase referring to multiple people receiving an action
The individuals	A formal object phrase highlighting members separately
Him or her	A traditional gender-specific object phrase; them is often more inclusive

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Is “they” singular or plural?
“They” can be either singular or plural. It is plural when referring to multiple people or things and singular when referring to one person whose gender is unknown, unspecified, or represented by they/them pronouns.

Question 2: Should I say “they was” or “they were”?
Use “they were” in standard English, including when singular they refers to one person. For example, write “They were waiting outside,” not “They was waiting outside.”

Question 3: Is “I gave it to they” correct?
No. Use “I gave it to them” because the pronoun follows the preposition “to” and functions as an object. “They” would be correct as a subject, as in “They received it.”

Question 4: Is “them” informal?
No. “Them” is the standard object form of the pronoun and is appropriate in casual, academic, professional, and formal writing.

Conclusion

They and them are both correct, but they cannot normally be exchanged. Choose they for a subject and them for an object or after a preposition. Use the he/she versus him/her swap test whenever you are uncertain. Pro Tip: Correct pronoun usage improves clarity and demonstrates careful, professional communication.