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Volcano1985 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Someone/Someone One/One

If someone doesn't want to do something, someone makes an excuse.


If someone doesn't want to do something, makes an excuse.



If one doesn't want to do something, one makes an excuse.


If one doesn't want to do something, makes an excuse.

Should I repeat someone or one? How would you make this sentence?
  

Top answer

Hi, If someone doesn't want to do something, someone makes an excuse. Awkward. We often say If someone doesn't want to do something, they make / he makes an excuse.

  • Hi, If someone doesn't want to do something, someone makes an excuse.
  • Awkward.
  • We often say If someone doesn't want to do something, they make / he makes an excuse.
  • If someone doesn't want to do something, makes an excuse.
  • Incorrect If one doesn't want to do something, one makes an excuse.
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8 Answers
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Hi,

If someone doesn't want to do something, someone makes an excuse. Awkward.

We often say
If someone doesn't want to do something, they make / he makes an excuse.

If someone doesn't want to do something, makes an excuse. Incorrect

If one doesn't want to do something, one makes an excuse. Fine, but
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What about these?

If someone doesn't want to do something, he/she makes an excuse.

If one doesn't want to do something, he/she makes an excuse.
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Hi,

These are OK.

Do you actually want to say 'he or she'? That's OK, too.

But I wouldn't write it with a slash.

Clive
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I think so too.Then should I use only he or she? By the way I don't understand why they is used.We are talking about one person.
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Hi,

Then should I use only he or she? You can say 'he' or 'she' or 'he or she'.



By the way I don't understand why they is used.We are talking about one person. It's jusr an idiomatic thing lots of people say. It's a way of avoiding the need to choose between 'he/she'.



Clive
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Could this be a weak point of English?
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Hi,

Yes, some people say that.

Is it handled better by your native language?

Clive
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Yes, we don't have such pronoun problem.

If we use someone, it means both he and she.When we use someone, we don't need to repeat it in the sentence like they/he/she, only once.

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