Well, here is the situation. I have four students. They did a test. Suppose that the regulation is a student getting a score below 40 gets the remark “study hard” which is written at the bottom of the work instead of a numerical score. When I want to confirm this, may I say: They get … Read more
why is this possible to replace: someone removed his/her with someone removed their can I also change: The user clicks on the button. He/She then sees.. with The user clicks on the button. They then sees.. or how would you ignore gender more elegantly? Answer This called a singular they and its use is common … Read more
1.Does any group want to give their presentation? The above sentence looks grammatically correct to me. However, I am confused between the use of do and does here. (The presence of “their” and “any group” which is singular). Could anyone suggest me? Answer At least in BrE, it really depends on whether you view a … Read more
The usage of singular and plural has always been confusing for me. I often see sentences like these People are using cell phones. People are using a cell phone. Does the first sentence mean everyone has a phone and they are all using their own? Does the second sentence mean they are sharing one cell … Read more
While doing my TOEFL prep I encountered the following statement where I am asked to find which of the bold words is being used wrongly in the sentence: If one has a special medical condition such as diabetes, epilepsy, or allergy, it is advisable that they carry some kind of identification in order to avoid … Read more
When a user does not fill his “about me” section in his profile, the following sentence appears: Apparently, this user prefers to keep an air of mystery about them. To my knowledge (which are restricted I admit), it should be Apparently, this user prefers to keep an air of mystery about him/himself. I’m pretty sure … Read more
Is this sentence grammatically correct? It is irksome when some colleague inflicts their tasks on you by telling you about his more urgent tasks. The person in question is a male, but still this construction seems a bit awkward. Is it acceptable at all? Answer This sentence uses the singular they, which is often used … Read more
I have the following sentence: In order to read the remainder of this book, the reader is advised to familiarize themselves with the concepts contained within this Chapter. I want to put: In order to read the remainder of this book, the reader is advised to familiarize themself with the concepts contained within this Chapter. … Read more
We have a highly regarded answer by nohat to a question about gender-neutral pronouns, in which he points to the “singular they” and its long history of use in English. (Note that he also advises against using it.) Example: If someone wants to watch TV tonight, they’ll have to do the dishes. This avoids having … Read more
There’s one thing I’m confused about the use of singular they/them for a non-binary person. Is it: "Jake is my friend, and they are great." or "Jake are my friend, and they are great." The former sounds correct to me, but I don’t know where to find confirmation that it is. Answer Singular "they" works … Read more
