Grammatically incorrect! Answered

Hello Instructable community/team-

I recently recieved a email message saying that a user has subscribed to me...

"Congratulations!

Member (xxxx) has subscribed to you! Visit their member page here: (link)"

With the key word being their. It should be his/her.

Tags:grammar mistake correction

Discussions

Kiteman

10 years ago

The non-gender-specific usage of their is correct in this instance.

_{With the number of grammar-Nazis that frequent this site, the administrators hardly dare be anything other than sticklers for accuracy ;-)}

Padlock

Reply 10 years ago

You are correct in the fact that their is not gender specific. It also refers to more than one person, or which there is only one. That means the correct expression would be he/she

Padlock

Reply 10 years ago

or his/her

Padlock

Reply 10 years ago

strike that, justhis/her in this case.

Kiteman

Reply 10 years ago

Sorry, "their" is correct. Check with your English teacher if you want.

Labot2001

Reply 10 years ago

Check with your English teacher if you want.

Or with your American teacher, to be politically correct!

Kiteman

Reply 10 years ago

Or, your teacher of American English, to be pedantically correct.

fwjs28

Reply 10 years ago

or your language arts teacher

Labot2001

Reply 10 years ago

LOL

Padlock

Reply 10 years ago

I have... She's the one who brought up the entire issue (at school) of using their and her/his. Which is why I spotted it.

Kiteman

Reply 10 years ago

Please tell your teacher of English that a teacher who is English says that she has made a mistake - the use of the "his/her" duality is made when offering a choice wherein the gender of the subject is, ultimately, contextually significant and known.

Generally, "his/her" is used when filling in forms, but "their" is used when speaking about an individual whose gender is unknown.

Padlock

Reply 10 years ago

I disagree. Regardless of "filling in forms" or speech, one should always follow the general rule of agreement in number AND gender. Besides, if nothing else, following correct grammar.

Kiteman

Reply 10 years ago

"Their" is usually considered plural neuter, but can also be used as singular neuter. That's correct grammar.

If your teacher of English isn't aware of that, ask them* why.

_{*Oh, look, a normally-plural pronoun beimg used in the singular!}