her

USAGE SUMMARY

"her" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as a possessive pronoun to refer to a female person or object (e.g. "She picked up her dog"), or as an object pronoun to refer to a previously mentioned female person (e.g. "He talked to her").

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education".

The Guardian

Referred to in court as D, she entered a not guilty plea to a charge of intimidation last week while wearing a niqab after the judge backed down from a previous decision that she would have to show her face to be properly identified.

The Guardian

"We the undersigned are sick and tired of ITV and Channel 5 giving her airtime and want her banned from all tv shows on your channels such as This Morning and The Wright Stuff.

The Guardian

It did her no good.

The Guardian

Her crime?

The New York Times

She is survived by her beloved husband, Dr. Irwin Cohen.

The New York Times

Her husband died in 1952.

The New York Times

As he knows, the nominative and accusative cases are the reason that we don't say gibberish like "Her gave it to he and then sat by we here!" No idea is more basic to English syntax and grammar.

The Economist

It would also be her last.

The Economist

"It makes me very worried for her, because I do not know whether she is alive or where she might be".

The Guardian

Keneally said her involvement in the proposal came at the "pointy end" and what was presented to her was a bad cabinet minute.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "her" as a possessive determiner, ensure it clearly precedes the noun it modifies. For example, instead of "Give it to the her dog", say "Give it to her dog".

Common error

Avoid using "her" in place of "she" as the subject of a sentence. "Her went to the store" is incorrect; the correct form is "She went to the store".

Linguistic Context

The word "her" functions primarily as a possessive determiner (e.g., "her book") and as an object pronoun (e.g., "I saw her"). As confirmed by Ludwig AI, these uses are grammatically sound and widely accepted.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "her" functions as both a possessive determiner and an object pronoun, primarily associated with female subjects. Ludwig AI confirms that its usage is grammatically correct and widely accepted. Found primarily in news and media contexts, "her" maintains a neutral register and is a very common word in English. When using "her", ensure it is appropriately placed before the noun it modifies or used as the object of a verb or preposition to avoid grammatical errors.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hers

Indicates possession and acts as a pronoun, rather than a determiner preceding a noun.

belonging to her

A more explicit and descriptive way of indicating ownership.

of hers

Emphasizes the connection or relationship of something to the female person.

to her

Highlights the recipient of something, emphasizing the action's direction.

for her

Suggests benefit or purpose related to the female individual.

regarding her

Shifts focus to the subject of discussion, emphasizing the topic.

concerning her

Similar to 'regarding her', this highlights the topic of discussion.

that woman's

A more descriptive way to refer to something belonging to a specific female person, emphasizing identity.

that lady's

Similar to 'that woman's', but carries a slightly more formal tone.

the aforementioned woman's

Highly formal and specific, referring back to a woman previously mentioned.

FAQs

How do I use "her" as a pronoun in a sentence?

"Her" is used as an object pronoun, meaning it receives the action. For example, "I gave the book to "her"".

How do I use "her" as a possessive determiner?

Use "her" before a noun to show ownership or association. For example, "This is "her" car".

What's the difference between "her" and "hers"?

"Her" is a possessive determiner (e.g., "Her book"), while "hers" is a possessive pronoun that stands alone (e.g., "The book is "hers"").

Can I use "her" to refer to an object?

Yes, it's common to use "her" to refer to feminine-gendered objects like ships or countries, although this usage is becoming less common. For example, "The ship sailed, and all aboard praised "her" seaworthiness".