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TeacherJapan Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Everyone or people?

Is it relatively common to use the phrase 'Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A' to mean 'A varies from person to person'? If it is, Is it okay to replace 'everyone' with 'people.' Or is it just a set phrase I should stick to?
  

Top answer

"Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A" would be used and accepted in everyday English. I would not use the singular "their" in careful or formal English. " (or phrase it another way altogether to avoid the issue).

— GPY

  • "Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A" would be used and accepted in everyday English.
  • I would not use the singular "their" in careful or formal English.
  • " (or phrase it another way altogether to avoid the issue).
  • In careful English I would also look for an alternative to "about", since to say that one has a like or dislike "about" something is not absolutely strictly correct, in my opinion.
  • "People have their own likes and dislikes about A" is OK.
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6 Answers
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"Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A" would be used and accepted in everyday English. I would not use the singular "their" in careful or formal English. I would say "Everyone has his or her own likes and dislikes ..." (or phrase it another way altogether to avoid the issue). In careful English I would also look for an alternative to "about", since to say that one has a like or dislik
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teacherJapanIs it relatively common to use the phrase 'Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A' to mean 'A varies from person to person'?
No. Not at all. Consider:

Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about ice-cream. It never means Ice-cream varies from person to person.

CJ
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I assumed in my reply that the question really intended to ask this:

Is it relatively common to use the phrase 'Everyone has their own likes and dislikes about A' to mean 'Opinions about A vary from person to person'?

Perhaps teacherJapan can clarify what he/she actually meant.
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GPYI assumed in my reply that the question really intended to ask this
Yes, that makes more sense. In a previous life I was trained as a mathematician, so I treat variable substitutions literally. Occupational hazard.
CJ
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Sorry, I should have clear about what I intended to ask you. GPY's interpretion is exactly what I wanted to ask. Thank you very much for your help
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Sorry, should have 'been' clear....
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