singular noun and every

[ridvann]

Hello,

-Each person must know how to live by themselves.

-Each person must know how to live by himself or herself.

-Every person wanted to escape from school ,but they must know it is a bad thing.

-Every person wanted to escape from school ,but he or she must know it is a bad thing.

Please help me because we know that we have to put a singular noun/pronoun after 'every, each,..etc, but I can't know whether I must write 'they or it/she/he' or not.

 

[paul.moss]

In these sentences," they "sounds more natural because it is non-sexist;it is the new way to avoid the awkwardness of saying He or she. The verb is always sigular,though.

 

[ridvann]

But I think when saying 'each person', we must say 'he / she'. Because 'each' shows one person, is that right?

 

[Rover_KE]

There's a case for using the recently coined themself.

Rover

 

[5jj]

In these sentences," they "sounds more natural because it is non-sexist;it is the new way to avoid the awkwardness of saying He or she. The verb is always singular,though.

No it isn't. "Everybody likes to think that they [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] are intelligent."

 

[5jj]

But I think when saying 'each person', we must say 'he / she'. Because 'each' shows one person, is that right?

That used to be so. Nowadays, as paul.moss suggested, 'they' is becoming increasingly accepted.

 

[paul.moss]

No it isn't. "Everybody likes to think that they [STRIKE]is[/STRIKE] are intelligent."

I meant the verb that has to agree with each..... or every......., in this example, like.Thanks for removing the ambiguity,though.