2023-03-26 18:01:27
Should I write 'he/she' or 'he or she'?
Hopefully that question piqued your interest.Writers of English are often faced with a problem when choosing a pronoun. As I alluded to above, the question is whether the person should use 'he', 'he/she', or 'he or she' ('him', 'him/her', or 'him or her').
The answer is that you don't use any of them.
In the past, writers just defaulted to male gender pronouns when the gender of the noun being replaced was unclear. However, this is no longer the case. I haven't seen any pieces of modern writing that do this.
Occasionally, I do see forms like 'he or she', but this approach is somewhat ponderous and awkward.
The best option is to use plural forms throughout. In other words, when speaking generally, try to say 'people' rather than 'a person'. That means later in the sentence, you'll be able to use the plural pronoun 'they' or 'them'.
However, if for some reason you are forced to use something that means 'a person' (singular), it's still ok in modern writing to go with a plural pronoun later in the sentence.
For example, I can say, "If a person doesn't study, they don't improve."
Personally, in this case I would choose, "If people don't study, they don't improve."
Either way, both are technically correct in modern writing.
In summary, don't default to male gender pronouns when gender is unclear. Choose plural pronouns instead.
[Beyden Dingle]
Share it with your friends
@IELTS_7star
284 views15:01
S
