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Qingqing Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Can "them" refer to "somebody"?

0--There's somebody at the door, Mr Dnelson.02br
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00--Tell ___ I'm out.02br
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00A. it B.them C.her D. somebody02br
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00Key: B 02br
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00Could anyone tell me the reason?02br
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00I know we can use "they" refer to "everyone". eg. Everyone is here. What are they doing?02br
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00Is it the same use?02br
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001.--Who is it? --It's me.02br
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002. Listen! The baby is crying out loud! It must be very hungry.02br
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003.I saw someone pass, but I don't know who it was.02br
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00How to understand "it" in the above sentences?0-
  

Top answer

0 "them" can refer to "somebody", yes. 02br 02br 00 Regarding your three numbered sentences:02br 02br 00 The second is a case of taking the gender of "baby" to be neuter. The same is done for animals, particularly pets.

— CalifJim

  • 0 "them" can refer to "somebody", yes.
  • 02br 02br 00 Regarding your three numbered sentences:02br 02br 00 The second is a case of taking the gender of "baby" to be neuter.
  • The same is done for animals, particularly pets.
  • This is optional.
  • 02br 02br 00 The first and third sentences are a different use of "it".
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5 Answers
0
0 "them" can refer to "somebody", yes. It is the same use as for "everybody", yes.02br
02br
00 Regarding your three numbered sentences:02br
02br
00 The second is a case of taking the gender of "baby" to be neuter. The same is done for animals, particularly pets. This is optional. If you know the *** of the baby or of the pet, "he" or "she" may be u
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0 It's quite common in conversation to use "them" instead of "him or her" if, for example, you don't know if the person at the door is a man or a woman. You don't want to use "it" for a person, and English doesn't have a pronoun for a single person of unknown gender, so people use the plural pronoun "them" instead. 0-
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0"them" is often used to refer to a singular indefinite person( in this case " somebody " ) who has already been mentioned. 02br
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001.--Who is it? --It's me We use " it " to refer a person when we want to indentiy him or her. 0-
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0Hi, 02br
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00I always thought to use "it" and "they" for animals (pets being included there). Can you tell me whether or not it is a norm to use "he" or "she" for animals when their *** is known? 0-
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0 Animals kept as pets are almost always referred to as "he" or "she" in the U.S.02br
00 Referring to a wild animal as "it" is normal.02br
02br
00 CJ0-
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