Which use of pronoun referent is correct?

Question

I have this sentence : Neither the two dogs nor the cat received the two dogs or the cat's food tonight.

Now, which use of pronoun referent of the underlined words is correct

Neither the two dogs nor the cat received its food tonight.

or

Neither the two dogs nor the cat received their food tonight.

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Say 'their'.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

Neither the two dogs nor the CAT received ITS food. Neither the cat nor the two DOGS received THEIR food. (Native speakers often break this rule.  Many feel it is more "natural" to say: Neither the two dogs nor the cat received their food.)

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Neither the two dogs nor the CAT received ITS food. Neither the cat nor the two DOGS received THEIR food. (Native speakers often break this rule. Many feel it is more "natural" to say: Neither the two dogs nor the cat received their food.)

I enjoyed reading your post. Here are a few comments.

I would say its in these cases.

Neither the cat nor the dog received its food.

Neither of the dogs received its food.

But I feel that their makes sense in the original example.

Perhaps a factor to consider is this. Did the dog food in question consist of individual portions for each dog, or was it for example a single can?

What would you say if the sentence was like this?

Neither the two dogs nor the seventeen cats received _?___ food.

Best wishes, Clive

Cool Breeze · Answer

In Helsinki English a more straightforward approach would be used:

Neither the two dogs nor the cat received their food tonight.

In case anyone insisted on including the pointless underlined words in the original post, a possessive apostrophe would be used after dogs:

Neither the two dogs nor the cat received the two dogs' or the cat's food tonight.

Without the apostrophe, it would seem to me that neither the two dogs nor the cat received the two dogs, which doesn't make sense.

CB

Anonymous · Answer

The two dogs did not receive their food.  The seventeen cats did not receive their food.  Neither the two dogs nor the seventeen cats received their food.

Khoff · Answer

I'm getting a little worried about the social harmony in a house where two dogs and seventeen cats have gone unfed.

Which use of pronoun referent is correct?

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