She vs. Her: Proper Grammar Use

The words she and her are both pronouns that are used in place of nouns describing females. You can use she or her to replace:

• A woman’s proper name
• A girl’s proper name
• A female animal’s name
• The name of an object identified as female, like a ship or car

She is a singular pronoun. It is a word that takes the place of a singular noun. Singular means there is one.

The definition of she is:

A female who was previously mentioned

Based on the definition, you could use she when the person you’re talking to knows which female you’re referring to.

Since she is a pronoun, it takes the place of a female noun.

• I don’t know that girl over there. Who is she?
• Is that Jennifer? She’s not the same girl I saw in the picture.
• I thought Kate’s favorite color was blue. She said she likes brown better.
• Michele gets off of work at five. Is she coming to dinner with us tonight?
• I don’t like Nikki. If she sits by me, I’m leaving.
• This is my new dog Poppy. She loves to lick!
• My old hamster, Barbie, was brown. I thought she was the cutest hamster ever.
• I just finished building my new ship. Isn’t she a beauty?

Unlike she, the word her can be an adjective or a pronoun. Take a look below for when you should use her instead of she in a sentence.

Her can be used as an adjective when it’s the possessive form of she, meaning you’re showing something belongs to the she you’ve mentioned. The definition of her is:

The possessive form of she

Her is also a pronoun when it’s the objective case of she, meaning it’s used as the direct object or indirect object of a verb. The definition of her in this case is:

She or a female; form of she used after a preposition or as the object of a verb

When you are saying that something belongs to the female, you’ll likely use her. The word her as a pronoun often comes after a preposition, or linking word. As a pronoun, her can also be the object of the sentence.

• I found Vera’s blue sweater. It’s her favorite. (Adjective)
• Have you ever seen the USNS Sally Ride? Her purpose is to help map oceans. (Adjective)
• Can you feed the cat? Her food bowl is empty. (Adjective)
• Have you seen Barb? Little Sarah looks just like her. (Pronoun)
• What time does Hazel get out of school? I want to pick her up as a surprise. (Pronoun)
• Mom is running late for lunch. Can you order her a burger? (Pronoun)
• I didn’t know your dog could play dead. How did you teach her that trick? (Pronoun)

Practice what you’ve learned about using she and her by completing the sentences below with the correct word. Check your answers when you’re done to see if you’ve mastered these grammar rules.

Fill in the blanks with either she or her to complete each sentence correctly. The answers are at the bottom of the article.

1. Can you help _______ carry those groceries?
2. If _______ calls back, come find me.
3. Isn’t _______ the cutest pony you’ve ever seen?
4. I don’t want to be in the same room as _______.
5. Tell Mom I’ll be in my room if _______ needs me.
6. You can’t take _______ favorite stuffed animal!
7. It’s not _______ fault the shirt is stained.
8. It sounds like _______ voice, but it isn’t Jane.
9. Do you know where _______ bought those shoes?
10. I’m _______ best friend.

Once you’ve mastered using she vs. her, it’s time to learn when to use he vs. him. Since they are similar concepts, they should be easy for you to understand.

Worksheet Answers:

1. her 2. she 3. she 4. her 5. she 6. her 7. her 8. her 9. she 10. her