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Jacky56Lin Posted 15 years ago
Dear Teacher
I heard one sentence from a radio station, as below.
Is your friend back from their vacation? You can ask them this question. How was your trip?
Why speaker use “their vacation”, why not to use his.
If substitute his for their, is this sentence right ? see below.
Is your friend back from his vacation? You can ask him this question. How was your trip?
In my thought I think the sentence as below is right
“Are your friends back from their vacation? You can ask them this question. How were your trip? is this sentence I made really right?
Thanks so much ahead of time. Jacky Lin. February 19th 2011.
Grammar
Please help me ! with one question about their or his ....
Dear Teacher
I heard one sentence from a radio station, as below.
Is your friend back from their vacation? You can ask them this question. How was your trip?
Why speaker use “their vacation”, why not to use his.
If substitute his for their, is this sentence right ? see below.
Is your friend back from his vacation? You can ask him this question. How was your trip?
In my thought I think the sentence as below is right
“Are your friends back from their vacation? You can ask them this question. How were your trip? is this sentence I made really right?
Thanks so much ahead of time. Jacky Lin. February 19th 2011.
Top answer
The plural pronouns they, their, them, theirs, and themselves are often used to refer to someone whose *** is unknown. In these cases it serves as a singular pronoun. It seems to me that the person speaking did not know if the friend was a man or a woman.
- The plural pronouns they, their, them, theirs, and themselves are often used to refer to someone whose *** is unknown.
- In these cases it serves as a singular pronoun.
- It seems to me that the person speaking did not know if the friend was a man or a woman.
- You can substitute he or she , his or her , him or her , and so on, but most people regard this as wordy and tedious, and prefer the forms they, their, them , and so on.
- In much formal writing the pronouns for males are used when the *** is unknown: he, his, him , etc.
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2 Answers
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The plural pronouns they, their, them, theirs, and themselves are often used to refer to someone whose *** is unknown. In these cases it serves as a singular pronoun.
It seems to me that the person speaking did not know if the friend was a man or a woman.
You can substitute he or she, his or her, him or her, and so on, but most people regard t
It seems to me that the person speaking did not know if the friend was a man or a woman.
You can substitute he or she, his or her, him or her, and so on, but most people regard t
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Dear CJ
Thanks a lot. Now I am much clearer about what you taught me"
Thanks a lot. Now I am much clearer about what you taught me"
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