On The Formality Of The Usage Of The Word “Their”
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Is using "their" in a phrase "Everyone has their reasons for doing something" informal? This reason I'm asking this is because a test book I'm using claims that using their in the situation above is informal, and that "his or her" is the more formal alternative. I find this very strange however, and would like someone to verify this claim. So is using "their" in the situation above considered informal?
Thanks.
formality colloquialisms
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 20 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
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up vote
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down vote
favorite
Is using "their" in a phrase "Everyone has their reasons for doing something" informal? This reason I'm asking this is because a test book I'm using claims that using their in the situation above is informal, and that "his or her" is the more formal alternative. I find this very strange however, and would like someone to verify this claim. So is using "their" in the situation above considered informal?
Thanks.
formality colloquialisms
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 20 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
up vote
0
down vote
favorite
Is using "their" in a phrase "Everyone has their reasons for doing something" informal? This reason I'm asking this is because a test book I'm using claims that using their in the situation above is informal, and that "his or her" is the more formal alternative. I find this very strange however, and would like someone to verify this claim. So is using "their" in the situation above considered informal?
Thanks.
formality colloquialisms
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
Is using "their" in a phrase "Everyone has their reasons for doing something" informal? This reason I'm asking this is because a test book I'm using claims that using their in the situation above is informal, and that "his or her" is the more formal alternative. I find this very strange however, and would like someone to verify this claim. So is using "their" in the situation above considered informal?
Thanks.
formality colloquialisms
formality colloquialisms
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
asked Sep 29 at 14:34
Ethan Chan
1011
1011
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 20 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 20 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
1
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09
add a comment |
1
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09
1
1
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09
add a comment |
1 Answer
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According to the APA blog:
The singular they is also commonly used to refer to a person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown—for example, imagine the sentence "The participant indicated their preferences." However, most formal writing and style guides, including the APA Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook, do not currently support this usage, deeming it too informal and/or ungrammatical.
Thus, I would say that your textbook is correct, although if you're using a specific style guide you should check it to make sure. The blog goes on to mention the strategy of using "his or her" as one alternative (of several) to replace "their", but it says to "avoid overusing this strategy, as it can become cumbersome upon many repetitions".
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
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1 Answer
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active
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
1
down vote
According to the APA blog:
The singular they is also commonly used to refer to a person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown—for example, imagine the sentence "The participant indicated their preferences." However, most formal writing and style guides, including the APA Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook, do not currently support this usage, deeming it too informal and/or ungrammatical.
Thus, I would say that your textbook is correct, although if you're using a specific style guide you should check it to make sure. The blog goes on to mention the strategy of using "his or her" as one alternative (of several) to replace "their", but it says to "avoid overusing this strategy, as it can become cumbersome upon many repetitions".
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
According to the APA blog:
The singular they is also commonly used to refer to a person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown—for example, imagine the sentence "The participant indicated their preferences." However, most formal writing and style guides, including the APA Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook, do not currently support this usage, deeming it too informal and/or ungrammatical.
Thus, I would say that your textbook is correct, although if you're using a specific style guide you should check it to make sure. The blog goes on to mention the strategy of using "his or her" as one alternative (of several) to replace "their", but it says to "avoid overusing this strategy, as it can become cumbersome upon many repetitions".
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
According to the APA blog:
The singular they is also commonly used to refer to a person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown—for example, imagine the sentence "The participant indicated their preferences." However, most formal writing and style guides, including the APA Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook, do not currently support this usage, deeming it too informal and/or ungrammatical.
Thus, I would say that your textbook is correct, although if you're using a specific style guide you should check it to make sure. The blog goes on to mention the strategy of using "his or her" as one alternative (of several) to replace "their", but it says to "avoid overusing this strategy, as it can become cumbersome upon many repetitions".
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
According to the APA blog:
The singular they is also commonly used to refer to a person whose gender is irrelevant or unknown—for example, imagine the sentence "The participant indicated their preferences." However, most formal writing and style guides, including the APA Publication Manual, the Chicago Manual of Style, and the AP Stylebook, do not currently support this usage, deeming it too informal and/or ungrammatical.
Thus, I would say that your textbook is correct, although if you're using a specific style guide you should check it to make sure. The blog goes on to mention the strategy of using "his or her" as one alternative (of several) to replace "their", but it says to "avoid overusing this strategy, as it can become cumbersome upon many repetitions".
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
answered Sep 29 at 18:58
Laurel
29.2k654104
29.2k654104
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
It depends what you mean by "formal". Would you care to give us a definition?
– WS2
Sep 29 at 14:40
@WS2 I should have been more specific. I meant formal as in grammatically correct.
– Ethan Chan
Sep 29 at 14:41
'Everyone' is singular, but 'their' (and 'they') are plural, although that may be changing.
– AmI
Sep 29 at 18:34
Some good answers here
– S Conroy
Sep 29 at 20:44
It would be perfectly grammatical either way.
– WS2
Sep 30 at 6:09