of them

USAGE SUMMARY

"of them" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a group of people or things that has already been mentioned. For example, "We heard a number of stories about their travels, and of them were quite interesting."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The three of them.

The New Yorker

Yes, both of them.

The New York Times

Two of them, actually.

The New York Times - Sports

Several of them.

The New York Times - Travel

Neither of them talked.

Independent

I'm fond of them.

The New Yorker

Some of them follow.

The New York Times

Six of them won.

The New York Times

No shooting of them".

Independent

Some of them work.

Independent

"I'm terrified of them".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the group you're referring to with "of them" is clearly established in the preceding context to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "of them" when it's unclear what group or entities "them" refers to. Always ensure the antecedent is explicitly mentioned earlier in your text.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of them" functions as a post-modifier, specifying a subset or portion of a previously mentioned group or entity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

15%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Science

27%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "of them" is a versatile phrase used to refer to a subset of a previously mentioned group. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and wide applicability. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, demonstrating its prevalence in everyday communication. While the phrase is generally safe to use, ensure clarity in your writing by explicitly establishing the group "them" refers to. Common alternatives include "among them" and "from their ranks", offering slight variations in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

among them

Focuses on selection from a larger group, slightly more formal.

from their ranks

Implies selection from a group with some shared characteristic.

out of those

Directly refers to a selection from a specific, already identified group.

of that group

Highlights the belonging to the specific group

some of those

Emphasizes that only a portion of the group is being referred to.

within that set

More formal and emphasizes a structured collection of items or people.

part of them

Highlights that only a portion of the group is being referred to.

from amongst them

A more literary or archaic way of saying "among them".

taken from them

Emphasizes the act of extraction from the group.

a number of them

Indicates an unspecified quantity from the whole group.

FAQs

How to use "of them" in a sentence?

Use "of them" to refer back to a group of people or things already mentioned. For example, "I have several books, and I've read most "of them"".

What are some alternatives to "of them"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "among them", "from their ranks", or "some "of those"".

Is it ever incorrect to use "of them"?

It's generally correct, but avoid using "of them" if the group you're referring to is unclear or hasn't been explicitly mentioned previously. Clarity is key.

What's the difference between "of them" and "from them"?

"Of them" indicates belonging to a group, while "from them" indicates origin or source. For example, "He is one "of them"" vs. "I received a gift "from them"".