her
her — pronoun
1. the object form of 'she', used when a female person or animal is the receiver of
the object form of 'she', used when a female person or animal is the receiver of an action or comes after a preposition such as 'to', 'for', 'with', or 'about'.
Harper spotted Beatrix across the street and called out to her.
object of preposition 'to'
The nurse handed her a warm blanket and a cup of tea.
indirect object of 'handed'
When Ayana twisted her ankle, a neighbour helped her get home.
At the workshop, everyone listened carefully to her when she explained her project.
Élise adopted a stray cat and took her straight to the vet.
- him
object form for a male person or animal
文法句型
verb + her
preposition + her
be + her
用法筆記
Common after prepositions (to, for, with, about, at) and as the direct or indirect object of verbs. After the verb 'be', use 'she' in formal writing, but 'her' is common in informal speech: 'It was her who called.'
常見錯誤
2. a formal or literary way of speaking about a nation, ship, or vehicle as though
a formal or literary way of speaking about a nation, ship, or vehicle as though it were a female person, found in poetry, patriotic writing, and affectionate descriptions of boats or cars.
Taiwan has beautiful coastlines, and many sailors come to visit her each year.
country as 'her'
The captain loved the old schooner and spent every weekend repairing her.
ship as 'her'
Ravindra bought a vintage sports car and drove her across the island.
The crew treated the ship like family and refused to let anyone harm her.
文法句型
verb + her
preposition + her
用法筆記
This sense is much rarer in modern everyday speech. It appears most often in poetry, patriotic writing about one's country, or affectionate descriptions of boats and cars. In ordinary conversation, people usually say 'it' instead.
常見錯誤
❌ 'I saw a nice boat at the harbour and bought it.' (sounds cold for a cherished boat) — In very informal contexts with a beloved vehicle, some speakers use 'her', though 'it' is always grammatically correct.
her — determiner
1. placed before a noun to indicate that a female person, or the female animal alre
placed before a noun to indicate that a female person, or the female animal already being discussed, is the owner of something or has a connection to it.
Beatrix forgot her notebook on the bus this morning.
possession: her notebook
Ayana raised her hand to answer the teacher's question.
body part: her hand
The little girl held her grandmother's hand as they crossed the street.
Kemi finished her science homework before dinner and went out to ride her bike.
Constanza walked her dog along the riverside path every morning.
- his
possessive determiner for a male person or animal
文法句型
her + noun
常見錯誤
2. showing that something belongs to or is a part of a country, ship, or vehicle, u
showing that something belongs to or is a part of a country, ship, or vehicle, used in formal or emotional language.
South Korea is proud of her rapid economic growth over the past decades.
country's characteristic: her growth
The sailing ship lowered her anchor near the small island.
ship part: her anchor
The classic car still had her original leather seats in mint condition.
New Zealand values her clean green image and protects her natural parks.
文法句型
her + noun
用法筆記
Like the pronoun sense for countries and vehicles, this possessive use is mainly literary or emotional. In newspaper writing, countries often take 'its', while ships and cars may take 'her' in affectionate contexts.
her — adjective
- herpositive
- herrercomparative
- herrestsuperlative
1. showing that a woman or girl is the person who does something, experiences somet
showing that a woman or girl is the person who does something, experiences something, or creates something — for example, 'her decision' means she decided, 'her defeat' means she lost, and 'her painting' means she created it.
Her debut novel was translated into twelve languages within a year.
agentive: she wrote the novel
Her appointment as director surprised many people in the company.
object: she was appointed
Three of her watercolour paintings were displayed at the National Gallery last spring.
Her supporters waited outside the courthouse all day long.
- his
possessive adjective for a male person, with the same agent/object ambiguity
文法句型
her + noun describing an action, creation, or experience
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with the determiner sense but emphasises a role relationship rather than simple possession. Compare: 'her book' (determiner — she owns it) versus 'her writing' (adjective — she produces it) versus 'her portrait' (could mean a portrait she painted or a portrait of her). Context decides the meaning.
常見錯誤
❌ 'Her painting was sold at auction' — without context, this could mean she painted it, she owns it, or it depicts her. Add clarity: 'The painting she created was sold at auction' (she created it), or 'A portrait of her was sold at auction' (it shows her).
her — abbreviation
1. a written abbreviation used in heraldry to label coats of arms or blazons that b
a written abbreviation used in heraldry to label coats of arms or blazons that belong to or relate to a female figure.
Queen Eleanor's shield carries a label that reads 'her. arms' in the original manuscript.
abbreviation labelling a coat of arms
In the heraldry catalog, 'her. crest' marks the helmet emblem that belonged to the countess.
A modern genealogy website still uses 'her.' for coats of arms passed through a female line.
When a shield bears a woman's arms, the abbreviation 'her.' often appears next to the description.
用法筆記
This abbreviation appears only in specialist heraldic texts and genealogy records. Learners are unlikely to encounter it outside those contexts.