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Cboutin3 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Should it be 'their' or 'its'?
Using Andras as his pawn, he attacked the Knights of the Divine Hammer in 20 PC to weaken the military order and to divide their/its leadership.
Top answer
I think this is one of those cases where you can use both. In American English, it is standard to use singular forms with collective nouns, so you should use "its". But, in British English, you can use both.
- I think this is one of those cases where you can use both.
- In American English, it is standard to use singular forms with collective nouns, so you should use "its".
- But, in British English, you can use both.
- It is common, in British English, when you refer to a group of people, to use the plural form ("their", in this case) when your focus is mainly the members of the group, and the singular form ("its", in this case) to emphasise the union of the group, or when referring to a group altogether, as one unit.
- In this case, since I prefer the use of British English, and since this seems to refer to the knights in a more or less individual way, I would use "their".
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1 Answers
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I think this is one of those cases where you can use both. In American English, it is standard to use singular forms with collective nouns, so you should use "its". But, in British English, you can use both. It is common, in British English, when you refer to a group of people, to use the plural form ("their", in this case) when your focus is mainly the members of the group, and the singular form
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