His vs Him
What’s the difference between them?
His
Meaning:
His is a possessive pronoun used to indicate that something belongs to or is associated with a male person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified.
Examples:
1. His car was parked outside the shop.
2. His eyes were the colour of the sea.
3. His voice was deep and melodic.
Him
Meaning:
Him is a third-person singular pronoun used to refer to a male, or a gender-neutral noun.
Examples:
1. He showed great respect towards him.
2. She was very loyal to him.
3. She looked up to him as a role model.
Learn similar and opposite words to spot the difference
Synonyms
Antonyms
His
There are no direct synonyms for this word.
Hers
Him
There are no direct synonyms for this word.
Her
Tricks for mastery
Useful tips to understand the difference between confusing words "His", "Him".
1. His is a possessive pronoun and is used to indicate something belongs to him. For example: His car is red.
2. Him is a personal pronoun and is used to refer to him. For example: I saw him yesterday.
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Frequently asked questions
When to use the first word?
The word ‘his’ is a possessive pronoun that is used to refer to something that belongs to him or something related to him. For example, 'He put his phone in his pocket'.
When to use the second word?
The word ‘him’ is a pronoun that is used to refer to him as the object of a sentence. For example, 'She gave him a hug'.
Do the words have the same pronunciation?
No, 'him' and 'his' do not have the same pronunciation: Him is pronounced /hɪm/. It rhymes with 'dim' and 'rim.' His is pronounced /hɪz/. It rhymes with 'is' and 'biz.'
What are common mistakes associated with words?
One common mistake associated with these two words is using the incorrect one in the wrong context. For example, saying 'Give his a book' instead of 'Give him a book'. Another mistake is using ‘his’ when referring to a singular female, which should be ‘her’.
Fill in the gaps to check yourself
1. Can you tell ____ apart from his twin brother?
2. His books were scattered all over the floor.
3. I saw ____ in the park yesterday.
4. They gave ____ the award for best actor.
5. ____ friends were waiting outside for him.
6. He gave ____ up for adoption.
1. Answer: Him
Explanation: Him is used as the pronoun to refer to the subject of the sentence, while his is a possessive pronoun.
2. Answer: His
Explanation: His is a possessive pronoun that modifies the noun books.
3. Answer: Him
Explanation: Him is used as the pronoun to refer to the subject of the sentence.
4. Answer: Him
Explanation: Him is used as the pronoun to refer to the subject of the sentence.
5. Answer: His
Explanation: His is a possessive pronoun that modifies the noun friends.
6. Answer: Him
Explanation: Him is used as the pronoun to refer to the subject of the sentence.
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List of Commonly Confused Words
Finding your way around the English language can be hard, especially since there are so many confusing words and rules. So, a list of the most confusing words in English is an extremely useful tool for improving language accuracy and sharing the ideas clearly.