Is this use of "them" right?
This is an excerpt from a book called Harvard Business Review:
"'WE'RE LOOKING FOR PLAYER-COACHES'
In a typical year, Tony de Nicola, copresident of the private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, is involved in hiring 12 to 20 C-suite executives (a third of them CEOSs) for WCAS's portfolio companies. He recently spoke with HBR about assessing talent. Edited excerpts follow."
I'm wondering it should be "their." Am I wrong in thinking that way?
Top answer
It's correct as written. a third of them CEOSs This is a parenthetical way of saying that a third of the 12 to 20 C-suite executives are CEOs. Consider this simpler example.
- It's correct as written.
- a third of them CEOSs This is a parenthetical way of saying that a third of the 12 to 20 C-suite executives are CEOs.
- Consider this simpler example.
- There were 30 people at the party (a third of them men).
- [ I think the writer means CEOs, not CEOSs.
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It's correct as written.
a third of them CEOSs This is a parenthetical way of saying that a third of the 12 to 20 C-suite executives are CEOs.
Consider this simpler example. There were 30 people at the party (a third of them men).
[ I think the writer means CEOs, not CEOSs. ]
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