us

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "us" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used as a pronoun to refer to the speaker and one or more other people. Example: "They invited us to the party this weekend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Sweeping US surveillance powers used by the National Security Agency expired at midnight after a dramatic showdown in the Senate.

The Guardian

After 9/11 Uzbekistan became a close strategic partner of the US, providing military facilities and transit routes to support US and Nato operations in Afghanistan.

The Guardian

There may be little appetite for further bloodshed from the Real IRA, and US president George Bush's new ultimatums on world terrorism may see further decline in support for Irish nationalists from the US.

The Guardian

The US has deployed manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft over the area.

The Guardian

The Labour MP Austin Mitchell has refused to apologise for likening the US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to "rapists" over its controversial takeover of AstraZeneca.

The Guardian

The situation in Northern Ireland, overshadowed by the attacks in the US, is heading towards uncharted territory.

The Guardian

However, in the wake of the mass slaughter in the US, and the arrest of three IRA suspects in Colombia, the atmosphere in Belfast is difficult to gauge.

The Guardian

Hill's attorney, Brian Kammer, issued a statement after the stay: "All the doctors who have examined Mr Hill are unanimous in their diagnosis of mental retardation, so there is no question that his execution would have been in violation of the US supreme court's 2002 ruling in Atkins v Virginia.

The Guardian

"Do you not have a heavy burden of justification to show authorisation under the constitution?" he asked the US solicitor-general, Donald Verrilli, who was defending the law.

The Guardian

The UN motion was passed on Tuesday night, with the support of the US, but a number of security council members condemned Russia's stance.

The Guardian

City authorities are conducting a criminal inquiry and the US department of justice is looking into potential civil rights charges.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure that the use of "us" is clear in its reference; ambiguity can arise if the group being referred to is not explicitly defined.

Common error

Avoid using "us" in place of "we" as the subject of a sentence. "Us are going to the store" is incorrect; the correct form is "We are going to the store".

Linguistic Context

The word "us" primarily functions as an object pronoun, referring to the speaker and at least one other person as the recipients of an action. It can also serve as a determiner, modifying a noun to indicate inclusion. Ludwig AI confirms these dual roles based on analyzed examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

10%

Reference

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the word "us" functions as an object pronoun or determiner, primarily used to indicate inclusion, collaboration, or shared experience. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its versatile usage, spanning from casual conversation to formal writing. While grammatically correct, it's important to distinguish it from the subject pronoun "we" to avoid errors. It is very frequent in news and media.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

you and me

Highlights a direct pairing with the speaker.

we all

Emphasizes the inclusion of everyone in a group.

we together

Emphasizes the collective action or experience.

ourselves

Highlights the reflexive action performed by the group.

we people

More colloquial and emphasizes the shared identity.

our team

Highlights the team identity

our group

More explicit in referring to a defined collective.

those of us

Identifies a specific subset within a larger group.

the undersigned

Formal and often used in legal or official documents.

the present company

Humorous or self-aware way to refer to the group.

FAQs

How do I use "us" in a sentence?

"Us" is used as an object pronoun. For example, "They gave the tickets to "us"." It can also function as a determiner before a noun, like in "It's not good enough for "us teachers"".

When should I use "us" instead of "we"?

Use "us" when it is the object of a verb or preposition, and "we" when it is the subject of a verb. For example, "The teacher helped "us"" (object) vs. "We helped the teacher" (subject).

Can "us" be used as a subject?

No, "us" should not be used as a subject. The correct pronoun to use as a subject is "we". For example, it's incorrect to say "Us are going", instead, say "We are going".

What's the difference between "us" and "we"?

"Us" is an object pronoun, used when "we" is receiving the action. "We" is a subject pronoun, used when "we" is performing the action. For example, "They invited "us"" (object), "We invited them" (subject).