Bill Situ
English and ESL Instructor
Pronouns are any words in the English language that can take the place of nouns. While they may be simple and straightforward to use, many students (including native English speakers) tend to use the incorrect pronoun in both writing and speaking:
Each person must pay $25 before they could enter.
Craig has several pens. It is black.
In the first example, each person is third-person singular, so the correct pronoun should be he or she:
Each person must pay $25 before he or she could enter.
In the second example, several pens is third-person plural, so the correct pronoun should be they:
Craig has several pens. They are black.
Each person must pay $25 before they could enter.
Craig has several pens. It is black.
In the first example, each person is third-person singular, so the correct pronoun should be he or she:
Each person must pay $25 before he or she could enter.
In the second example, several pens is third-person plural, so the correct pronoun should be they:
Craig has several pens. They are black.