What are the differences between the usage of 'it' and 'they'?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}
I need to understand the following with respect to correct grammar not everyday usage:
1. The number to the antecedent that both pronouns can refer to (Singular/Plural)
2. Can the pronouns refer to living and non-living creatures both?
3. Any other rules that distinguish the two.
word-meaning pronouns relative-pronouns singular-they
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
I need to understand the following with respect to correct grammar not everyday usage:
1. The number to the antecedent that both pronouns can refer to (Singular/Plural)
2. Can the pronouns refer to living and non-living creatures both?
3. Any other rules that distinguish the two.
word-meaning pronouns relative-pronouns singular-they
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago
add a comment |
I need to understand the following with respect to correct grammar not everyday usage:
1. The number to the antecedent that both pronouns can refer to (Singular/Plural)
2. Can the pronouns refer to living and non-living creatures both?
3. Any other rules that distinguish the two.
word-meaning pronouns relative-pronouns singular-they
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
I need to understand the following with respect to correct grammar not everyday usage:
1. The number to the antecedent that both pronouns can refer to (Singular/Plural)
2. Can the pronouns refer to living and non-living creatures both?
3. Any other rules that distinguish the two.
word-meaning pronouns relative-pronouns singular-they
word-meaning pronouns relative-pronouns singular-they
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
edited 4 hours ago
Jasper
19.6k43873
19.6k43873
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
asked 12 hours ago
ayushi groverayushi grover
111
111
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
ayushi grover is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago
1
1
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
It is always singular, and hardly ever used of humans (some people refer to a baby whose sex they don't know as "it", but others find that offensive). It is often used of animals, but many people use "he" or "she" if they know the sex of the animal.
They is plural, and may refer to anything: people, animals, inanimate objects. Many people (including me) also use it in the singular to refer to a person when they don't know the person's gender, or are referring to an unspecified person who might be of any gender. Some people object to this use, but it has been around for centuries.
I don't remember ever having heard singular "they" used of an animal - most people would use "it" in such cases. As far as I know, singular "they" is never used for inanimate objects.
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "481"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
ayushi grover is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f204215%2fwhat-are-the-differences-between-the-usage-of-it-and-they%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
It is always singular, and hardly ever used of humans (some people refer to a baby whose sex they don't know as "it", but others find that offensive). It is often used of animals, but many people use "he" or "she" if they know the sex of the animal.
They is plural, and may refer to anything: people, animals, inanimate objects. Many people (including me) also use it in the singular to refer to a person when they don't know the person's gender, or are referring to an unspecified person who might be of any gender. Some people object to this use, but it has been around for centuries.
I don't remember ever having heard singular "they" used of an animal - most people would use "it" in such cases. As far as I know, singular "they" is never used for inanimate objects.
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
add a comment |
It is always singular, and hardly ever used of humans (some people refer to a baby whose sex they don't know as "it", but others find that offensive). It is often used of animals, but many people use "he" or "she" if they know the sex of the animal.
They is plural, and may refer to anything: people, animals, inanimate objects. Many people (including me) also use it in the singular to refer to a person when they don't know the person's gender, or are referring to an unspecified person who might be of any gender. Some people object to this use, but it has been around for centuries.
I don't remember ever having heard singular "they" used of an animal - most people would use "it" in such cases. As far as I know, singular "they" is never used for inanimate objects.
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
add a comment |
It is always singular, and hardly ever used of humans (some people refer to a baby whose sex they don't know as "it", but others find that offensive). It is often used of animals, but many people use "he" or "she" if they know the sex of the animal.
They is plural, and may refer to anything: people, animals, inanimate objects. Many people (including me) also use it in the singular to refer to a person when they don't know the person's gender, or are referring to an unspecified person who might be of any gender. Some people object to this use, but it has been around for centuries.
I don't remember ever having heard singular "they" used of an animal - most people would use "it" in such cases. As far as I know, singular "they" is never used for inanimate objects.
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
It is always singular, and hardly ever used of humans (some people refer to a baby whose sex they don't know as "it", but others find that offensive). It is often used of animals, but many people use "he" or "she" if they know the sex of the animal.
They is plural, and may refer to anything: people, animals, inanimate objects. Many people (including me) also use it in the singular to refer to a person when they don't know the person's gender, or are referring to an unspecified person who might be of any gender. Some people object to this use, but it has been around for centuries.
I don't remember ever having heard singular "they" used of an animal - most people would use "it" in such cases. As far as I know, singular "they" is never used for inanimate objects.
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
answered 11 hours ago
Colin FineColin Fine
31.7k24560
31.7k24560
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
add a comment |
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
2
2
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
Oh, I've heard it used for an animal - some people object to thinking about them as less than human, somehow.
– SamBC
10 hours ago
2
2
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
I use "they" for animals exclusively. At least for mammals, birds, and reptiles; I tend to lean towards "it" for insects. The exact line varies from person to person, some only using they for humans and some using it for humans and pets, others for all animate things, etc. Also of note is that singular they can be used for a specific nonbinary person as well, so it doesn't have to be an unspecified person or a person of unknown gender.
– Hearth
7 hours ago
add a comment |
ayushi grover is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
ayushi grover is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
ayushi grover is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
ayushi grover is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language Learners Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f204215%2fwhat-are-the-differences-between-the-usage-of-it-and-they%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
1
Correct grammar and everyday usage: enlighten me as far as the difference between the two goes. Of course, I assume that by everyday usage you're referring to English as spoken by native speakers of English, and not, say, the majority of Indians or Chinese.
– userr2684291
9 hours ago