Sentence Agreement |
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| "Gender Neutral" Agreement | Framed | Unframed |
Read & Contrast
Using "Gender Neutral" Pronouns The pronoun "his" can refer to males or females. However, to remove the possible reference to only one gender "his" (masculine), speakers often use "their" (plural) to avoid specifying male or female. When proofreading your essay, subjects, verbs and pronouns need to agree. There are a few "gray" areas that may not be "set in stone". Usage is ever-changing.
Why do speakers use two forms -- "his" and "their"?
Two Fixes: 1. Change the subject to a plural form to avoid having to choose:
2. Change the verb to passive voice:
Once you decide to switch from using singular subjects (a person) to a plural subjects (people), continue to choose the plural subject throughout the rest of your paragraph. Conventions are formed with time and this one is not decided yet. For formal papers use "he" or "he or she" for the 3rd person singular form. Ask your instructor or professor his/her/their preference on which you should use.
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Read the flyer for a basketball summer camp:
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Practice 2
STRETEGY 3
Also see: Possessive Nouns | Possessive Pronouns
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Julie Sevastopoulos - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA |