Winwin2011
Senior Member
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2011
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Chinese
- Home Country
- Hong Kong
- Current Location
- Hong Kong
The following context is copied a grammar book.
If any of you are bored, he or she can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for himself or herself.
In order to avoid the use of he or she in the above sentence, it is stated as:
*If any of you are bored, they can quietly leave the room now for ten <=correct=you
minutes for some fresh air for themself. <=correct=yourselves.
I am confused with the above context marked with *. Why does the author use 'themself' not 'themselves'? Am I correct to reconstruct the above context as follows:-
1. If any of you are bored, they can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for themselves.
2. If any of you are bored, you can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for yourselves.
Thanks.
If any of you are bored, he or she can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for himself or herself.
In order to avoid the use of he or she in the above sentence, it is stated as:
*If any of you are bored, they can quietly leave the room now for ten <=correct=you
minutes for some fresh air for themself. <=correct=yourselves.
I am confused with the above context marked with *. Why does the author use 'themself' not 'themselves'? Am I correct to reconstruct the above context as follows:-
1. If any of you are bored, they can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for themselves.
2. If any of you are bored, you can quietly leave the room now for ten minutes for some fresh air for yourselves.
Thanks.