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Anonymous Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary
Them
Hi.
"England lost their opening two group games against Italy and Uruguay, knocking them out of the competition with one game still to play against Costa Rica on Tuesday." [From the BBC Sport website reporting on the England team's early exit from the World Cup.]
Do you agree with me that the pronoun "them", in the context, may be a bit misleading in suggesting that it is Italy and Uruguay who have been knocked out of the competition?
Wouldn't it be better to use the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in this context?
Thank you.
"England lost their opening two group games against Italy and Uruguay, knocking them out of the competition with one game still to play against Costa Rica on Tuesday." [From the BBC Sport website reporting on the England team's early exit from the World Cup.]
Do you agree with me that the pronoun "them", in the context, may be a bit misleading in suggesting that it is Italy and Uruguay who have been knocked out of the competition?
Wouldn't it be better to use the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in this context?
Thank you.
Top answer
Anonymous Do you agree with me that the pronoun "them", in the context, may be a bit misleading in suggesting that it is Italy and Uruguay who have been knocked out of the competition? Pronouns can often seem misleading if the reader does not employ common sense. Anonymous Wouldn't it be better to use the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in this context?
- Anonymous Do you agree with me that the pronoun "them", in the context, may be a bit misleading in suggesting that it is Italy and Uruguay who have been knocked out of the competition?
- Pronouns can often seem misleading if the reader does not employ common sense.
- Anonymous Wouldn't it be better to use the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in this context?
- I don't think that would improve the situation if the reader could not understand that losing knocks one out of a competition.
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2 Answers
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AnonymousDo you agree with me that the pronoun "them", in the context, may be a bit misleading in suggesting that it is Italy and Uruguay who have been knocked out of the competition?Pronouns can often seem misleading if the reader does not employ common sense.
AnonymousWouldn't it be better to use the reflexive pronoun "themselves" in
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