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Harry1999 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
These – those vs they – them
I am confused about the following sentences. I don’t know whether “them” can be used interchangeably with “these” and ”those”.
1. I am going to test the defects. Have you fixed those (them) or have those (they) been fixed?
2. They (those) are fixed.
3. The files sent by you were not relevant. They (those) are simply irrelevant.
Can they be used interchangeably?
1. I am going to test the defects. Have you fixed those (them) or have those (they) been fixed?
2. They (those) are fixed.
3. The files sent by you were not relevant. They (those) are simply irrelevant.
Can they be used interchangeably?
Top answer
harry1999 Can they be used interchangeably? No. You need 'they' and 'them' in all your examples because you are referring back to something you mentioned earlier.
- harry1999 Can they be used interchangeably?
- No.
- You need 'they' and 'them' in all your examples because you are referring back to something you mentioned earlier.
- I am going to test the defects.
- Have you fixed them (the defects) or have they (the defects) been fixed?
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8 Answers
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harry1999Can they be used interchangeably?No. You need 'they' and 'them' in all your examples because you are referring back to something you mentioned earlier.
I am going to test the defects. Have you fixed them (the defects) or have they (the defects) been fixed?
They (the defects) are fixed.
The files sent by you were not
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harry1999I am confused about the following sentences. I don’t know whether “them” can be used interchangeably with “these” and ”those”.No. These and those (as pronouns, not determiners) are used to refer to specific things in the vicinity of the speaker as if you could point to them.
These are things close by, and those are things further away.
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AlpheccaStarsHave you fixed those defects I told you about yesterday? (determiner)Suppose, I am asking about four defects that have been fixed. I sent the defect numbers and now I want to ask him or her.
Should I say "have you fixed these defects" or " have they been fixed"?
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CalifJimA: Have these defects been fixed? (pointing to List A of defects)B: No, but those have been fixed. (pointing to List B of defects)Suppose, I am asking about four defects that have been fixed. I sent the defect numbers and now I want to ask him or her.
Should I say "have you fixed these defects" or " have they been fixed"?
Thank you f
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harry1999Suppose, I am asking about four defects that have been fixed. I sent the defect numbers and now I want to ask him or her.Should I say "have you fixed these defects" or " have they been fixed"?You can say, "Have you fixed these defects?" if you are sitting with him, and looking at the list.
If you send an email with the list of defects, you can wr
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harry1999I sent the defect numbers and now I want to ask him or her.You can go either way.
I would write something like this:
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ...
Please refer to the defects listed above. Have you fixed them?
OR
Have you fixed these defects?
1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ...
(I prefer the second way.)
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CalifJimYou can go either way.Thank you CJ for the help. I understood now.
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