The Difference between 'It' and 'Them'
'It' and 'They' are both pronouns, but what is the difference between 'it' and 'they'? Here we will discuss the differences and similarities of the two.
It vs. Them
Main Similarity and Difference
'It' and 'them' are both personal pronouns in English. 'Them' is the object pronoun and 'it' can be both object and subject pronoun.
How to Choose between 'It' and 'Them'?
If you want to decide which one to use, always stick to one simple rule:
'It' refers to a singular noun and 'them' refers to a plural noun.
Referring to Plural or Singular Nouns
'It' and 'them' can both refer to living and non-living entities. But don't worry about this.
The choice between 'it' versus 'them' has nothing to do with living or non-living nouns. It is only a matter of plurality or singularity of nouns.
Come
to
think
of
it
,
the
first
restaurant
was
great
.
I
loved
them
.
Come
to
think
of
it
,
the
first
restaurant
was
great
.
I
loved
Plural-Only Nouns
For nouns that always appear in plural forms, but are actually one thing, for instance, pants, glasses, trousers, etc. do not use 'it'. You should use 'they'.
What
a
nice
pair
of
shoes
.
I
love
What
a
nice
pair
of
shoes
.
I
love
it
!
Using 'it' for these nouns is considered grammatically incorrect, however, you might hear a sentence like:
I
bought
a
pair
of
shoes
.
Uncountable and Collective Nouns
For uncountable and collective nouns, use 'it'. They might have a plural meaning and sense to them, but they are considered singular nouns.
I
gave
him
the
money
and
he
took
So, keep this rule in mind, for all collective nouns, you must use 'it' not 'they'. Unless in a specific context that you want to refer to the people working at a company, army, etc.
Singular 'Them'
Nowadays, due to the new revolutionary awareness about gender, in modern English, if we want to refer to only one person, but we do not want to or don't know the gender, instead of using 'his/her' or 'his or her', we simply use 'them'.
Don't
forget
to
consult
your
doctor
.
Call
