Everyone

Question

Shouldn't it have been "hands"? "Everyone again raised their hand."

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

Hi Selvakumar

English is quite flexible in this respect. Some agree with you and think the singular is wrong, others think it's correct. I would prefer to say: Everyone raised their hands, like you. And you would have to use the plural if everyone raised both their hands.

CB

Neeraj Jain · Answer

I am sorry. I do not agree with CB.

When you are saying:

Everyone raised their "hand".

Please note the usage of plural "their". So the noun necessarily has to be in plural form.

Yoong Liat · Answer

Neeraj JainI am sorry. I do not agree with CB.

When you are saying:

Everyone raised their "hand".

Please note the usage of plural "their". So the noun necessarily has to be in plural form.

I agree with CB. Either 'hand' or 'hands' would be fine.

Nihility · Answer

Neeraj JainI am sorry. I do not agree with CB.

When you are saying:

Everyone raised their "hand".

Please note the usage of plural "their". So the noun necessarily has to be in plural form.

Even though it is plural, to a native english speaker, both 'hands' or 'hand' make sense.

CalifJim · Answer

I am sorry. I do not agree with CB.

When you are saying:

Everyone raised their "hand".

Please note the usage of plural "their". So the noun necessarily has to be in plural form.

CB says he prefers "raised their hands".
If you don't agree with him, then you prefer "raised their hand".
But you state "the noun necessarily has to be in plural form" which means the noun hand must be in its plural form "hands". So, by this logic, you prefer "raised their hands".

Now how can you prefer "hand" and also prefer "hands" at the same time?

CJ

Cool Breeze · Answer

CalifJim CB says he prefers "raised their hands".
If you don't agree with him, then you prefer "raised their hand".
But you state "the noun necessarily has to be in plural form" which means the noun hand must be in its plural form "hands". So, by this logic, you prefer "raised their hands".

Now how can you prefer "hand" and also prefer "hands" at the same time?

Jim, you would make an excellent chess player![:D] Incidentally, I remember a great American chess player called Bobby Fischer, who played against Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union in Reykjavik in 1972. The world chess championship was at stake. Fischer was a very eccentric person. If you - or anybody else - are interested, you can read more about this battle of chess giants [url=http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/72fs$.htm]here.[/url]

CB

Loojka · Answer

Does this " hand / hands" fuss have anything to do with the fact that "his or her" can be paraphrased as "their"?  Just a random thought  <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Kooyeen · Answer

Yes:

Everyone raised their hand = his or her hand - Everyone is like "every one of them"
Everyone raised their hands = their hands - Everyone is like "all of them"

You can see it both ways, it depends, and it's a mess.

Yoong Liat · Answer

LoojkaDoes this " hand / hands" fuss have anything to do with the fact that "his or her" can be paraphrased as "their"? Just a random thought

Everyone raised their hand/s. (No, it doesn't have anything to do with the gender problem. It's just that most people will interpret the sentence as each person raised his/her hand.)

If both hands are raised, the sentence should be phrased as 'Everyone raised both their hands.'

CalifJim · Answer

You can see it both ways, it depends, and it's a mess.

Ah, yes! A mess. But what an exhilirating, joyous mess it is!!!

CJ

Everyone

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions