would be him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would be him" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are speculating or discussing a hypothetical situation involving a person. Example: "If anyone were to take the lead on this project, it would be him."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

(That would be him).

The New York Times

And that would be him.

The New Yorker

I suppose it would be him".

The New York Times

If I could shag any guy it would be him".

The Guardian - Arts

"I thought it would be him," said Sadettin.

The New York Times - Books

"If there's anyone that people should want to model themselves after, it would be him".

The New York Times

Of course, if she was likely to have an agent, it would be him.

The Guardian

If you had to build the perfect politician for social media, it would be him.

The Guardian

If anyone deserves an honor like this, it would be him".

The New York Times - Sports

I mean, if you were to mold a perfect tennis player, that would be him".

The New York Times - Sports

He makes sure somebody is always here at the church, and tonight it would be him.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "would be him" when speculating about who is most likely to be in a certain situation or fulfill a specific role. For example, "If anyone could fix this, it "would be him".

Common error

Avoid using "would be he" in informal contexts, as it sounds overly formal or stilted. While grammatically correct, "would be him" is more common and natural in everyday speech and writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would be him" functions as a predicate nominative expressing a hypothetical or conditional identification. As Ludwig AI confirms, this construction is common, and the examples illustrate its use in specifying who is likely to be in a certain situation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would be him" is a grammatically acceptable and frequently used phrase to express speculation or conditional identification, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. While "would be he" is a more formal alternative, "would be him" is generally preferred in modern usage. It's commonly found in news and media contexts and serves to identify a likely candidate in a given scenario. Remember to use it when speculating about a specific person in a particular situation, for example "If anyone were to know, it "would be him".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it would be he

Formal variation using the correct pronoun form after the verb "be".

that would be him

Adds a demonstrative pronoun to emphasize the identification of the person.

it'd be him

Contraction of "it would" for a more informal tone.

he would be the one

Focuses on the individual as the specific person to fulfill a role or expectation.

he's the one who would

Emphasizes the person's characteristic inclination or tendency.

it is likely to be him

Expresses a probability rather than a conditional statement.

he is the most probable candidate

Highlights the person as the most likely choice among several options.

he's probably the one

More informal way to state that the person is the likely choice.

I'd bet on him

Suggests confidence in the person's ability or likelihood to succeed.

my money's on him

Idiomatic expression indicating a strong belief in the person's success.

FAQs

How can I use "would be him" in a sentence?

You can use "would be him" to express a conditional or hypothetical scenario where someone is likely to be involved or responsible. For example, "If anyone were to volunteer, it "would be him".

Is it grammatically correct to say "would be him"?

While some might argue for the more formal "would be he", the phrase "would be him" is widely accepted and commonly used in contemporary English.

What's a more formal alternative to "would be him"?

A more formal alternative is "it "would be he"", though this can sound stilted in modern usage.

When is it appropriate to use "would be him"?

It's appropriate in most informal and neutral contexts where you're speculating about who would likely do something or be in a particular situation.