play video his or her
Usage Notes

Is singular 'they' a better choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'


"Everyone should do his or her best in whatever situations he or she happens to find himself or herself in?" That's awkward. Perhaps everyone should just do their best in the situations they find themselves in. Even if their best involves they as a singular pronoun.

Up next

play video his or her
Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

play video between you and i or me
I vs. Me

 

'Between you and __'? Simple guidance for a tricky pronoun.