Pronoun with one

[aachu]

What's the pronoun with 'one', when used in sentences like:

If one tries hard, ---- will never fail.

If one does his home work regularly, ---- gets good grades.

 

[Hedwig]

I'm confused. Isn't it still one, as in the first half of the sentence? Don't both verbs refer to the same person? Why not keep the same pronoun?

 

[aachu]

If one tries hard, one will never fail.

If one does his home work regularly, one gets good grades.

Can't we swap pronoun 'he' with pronoun 'one' in the above sentences?

 

[Hedwig]

If one tries hard, one will never fail.

If one does his home work regularly, one gets good grades.

Can't we swap pronoun 'he' with pronoun 'one' in the above sentences?

(Remember I'm not a teacher.)

I suppose it's not grammatically wrong, as regards syntax at least. But I don't see why you'd like to swap. I mean, if one started the sentence with a gender-neutral pronoun, one surely doesn`t want to switch to a gender-specific pronoun. On stylistic grounds, in the first place. And it doesn't sound very smooth, I'd say.

 

[5jj]

I believe that in AmE, one used to switch from one to he, and that one (he) used his rather than one's. I have no idea what Americans do in these non-sexist days. I look forward to a speaker of AmE telling us how they (!) would render this:

One should do one's best to ensure that one does not offend one's colleagues.

 

[Tdol]

In BrE, if you do use one, then use it consistently.

 

[emsr2d2]

It should be noted that in BrE, the use of "one" might be considered formal/posh/snobby depending on the listener!

 

[Hedwig]

It should be noted that in BrE, the use of "one" might be considered formal/posh/snobby depending on the listener!

In AmE too, according to my American e-friends.

 

[Barb_D]

We don't use "one" here a lot. We use the impersonal "you" a lot. (if you work hard, etc.). Or we say something like "If a person works hard," followed by "they" as a gender-neutral, singular pronoun.

That said, there's nothing wrong with "one" and it makes no sense at all to start with "one" and then switch to "he."

 

[Tdol]

It should be noted that in BrE, the use of "one" might be considered formal/posh/snobby depending on the listener!

It is still recommended for academic writing by some, though I avoid it at all times. However, if one does use it, then one should use it right.

 

[Barb_D]

However, if one does use it, then one should use it right.

:up: