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About Martha Beth Lewis
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I will answer questions having to do with grammar, plurals, punctuation, capitalization, mood, person, tense, and so on, as well as word usage and word choice. If you want a quick answer to a specific question, particularly if you wish to use formal American English for business or academic purposes (MLA), I can give you a timely response. I also can address word choice, clarity, structure, and similar concerns involving English as a second language. If you want advice of a deeper editorial nature (e.g., substantive [line] editing), please consult an Expert who offers this sort of assistance.
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I was employed as an editor for the graduate school at a major U.S. university and specialized in dissertations. I have over 200 publications in professional journals, consumer magazines, and newspapers. I am the author of five books and numerous syllabi in an arts field. I also am a freelance line editor, copyeditor, and proofreader (over 40 years), and I have written or edited countless community organizations' newsletters and promotional materials.
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Note: When using a word as a word in a sentence, such as:
Put a period after the word dog,
=dog= should be set in italics.
Since I do not have access to italics here, I shall use = on either side of the word or phrase that properly should appear in italics. For the above example:
Put a period after the word =dog=.
Also, ~~please do not mark your questions as private~~. I will change them to public because I don't want to type the same answer twice! Thanks for your understanding.
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You are here: Experts > Arts/Humanities > Writing > General Writing and Grammar Help > Use of He/Him
Expert: Martha Beth Lewis - 11/5/2009
Question
I'm writing the following sentence and I'm uncertain of the correct use of he or him:
A draft of unanimous consent is attached appointing you and he/him.
Can you let me know which is correct and explain why? Many thanks
Answer
I am glad you asked this so I can get on one of my favorite soapboxes!
~~
=he= and =him= are misused today with shocking regularity.
~~
=he= is always the subject of a sentence (the thing the verb is working on).
=he= is also used in the non-subject part of a sentence ("predicate") when the verb is =to be=
=him= is used with a preposition, such as =for,= =at=, =with=, =from=, and so on ("object of a preposition").
=him= is also used as a "direct object," which is something in the predicate that names what the subject of the sentence is doing.
=he= is never used with a preposition; it is never used as a direct object.
=him= is never used as a subject or in the predicate part of a sentence when the verb is =to be=.
~~
Here is =him= used when it should be =he=:
It is him calling the plays. [=is= is a form of the verb =to be=]
(when answering the phone:) This is him. [same problem]
Him and Sally ate the chocolate. [=him= is never the subject of a sentence]
And the reverse:
I see he over there. [direct object]
I am going with he to buy chocolate. [object of a proposition]
~~
The word to use in your example is =him.= This fellow is being appointed.
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