[Grammar] HE or IT?

[wace]

Which pronoun would you (native speakers) use in the following examples?

SITUATION: A is talking to a pregnant girl who is being secretive about the father of the child she's expecting.

A: Who is the father?
B (1): Oh, IT's/HE's a boy from out of town. ( I would opt for IT)
B (2): Oh, you don't know him. He's a boy from out of town) (in this second example I would go for HE)

Thank you

 

[bhaisahab]

Which pronoun would you (native speakers) use in the following examples?

SITUATION: A is talking to a pregnant girl who is being secretive about the father of the child she's expecting.

A: Who is the father?
B (1): Oh, IT's/HE's a boy from out of town. ( I would opt for IT) I agree.
B (2): Oh, you don't know him. He's a boy from out of town) (in this second example I would go for HE) I agree.

Thank you

.

 

[wace]

Thank you bhai.
I was wondering if IT would have been equally correct in the second example:
A: Who's the father?
B: Oh, you don't know him. It's a boy form out of town. :-?

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you bhai.
I was wondering if IT would have been equally correct in the second example:
A: Who's the father?
B: Oh, you don't know him. It's a boy form out of town. :-?

"It's" could be used but I would prefer "He's".

 

[Atchan]

I have one question.

When we use it? when we don't know the person himself/herself?

 

[2006]

Which pronoun would you (native speakers) use in the following examples?

SITUATION: A is talking to a pregnant girl who is being secretive about the father of the child she's expecting.

A: Who is the father?
B (1): Oh, IT's/HE's a boy from out of town. ( I would opt for IT)
B (2): Oh, you don't know him. He's a boy from out of town) (in this second example I would go for HE)

Thank you

In this situation, I would only use 'He'. Ater all, we are talking about a person.

There is one situation in which "It" is often used for a 'person'. An unborn baby of unknown sex is often referred to as "It".
Later, a new father calls from the hospital and says 'It's a boy.' (The previous "It" is announced as a boy.)
It would be odd to say 'He's a boy.', because of course a 'He' is a boy.

 

[Rover_KE]

Wace, I agree with you and bhaisahab.

'It' is often used to refer to a person:

'Who's coming to give the lecture tomorrow?
'Oh, it's somebody from the university.'

'Who was at the door just then?'
'It was a Jehovah's Witness.'

Rover




Rover

 

[2006]

Wace, I agree with you and bhaisahab.

'It' is often used to refer to a person:

'Who's coming to give the lecture tomorrow?
'Oh, it's somebody from the university.'

'Who was at the door just then?'
'It was a Jehovah's Witness.'

Rover

Rover

Yes, that's true. "It" is often used when the sex of the person is unknown or unimportant. But I think the situation in the OP is quite different.

There are many situations even involving 'unimportant people', in which it would be very odd to refer to the person as "It".

A lady from the delivery service called and wanted to know when they could deliver a parcel. It would be very odd to say 'I told it that tomorrow afternoon would be good.'

 

[wace]

In this situation, I would only use 'He'. Ater all, we are talking about a person.

QUOTE]

When you say 'in this situation' which of my examples are you referring to? Would you use HE in both examples?

 

[2006]

In this situation, I would only use 'He'. Ater all, we are talking about a person.

QUOTE]

When you say 'in this situation' which of my examples are you referring to? I am referring to the conversation in your first post.

Would you use He in both examples? I would.

2006