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 ismo merriam webster trunk boot
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"

 

Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk

play ismo merriam webster tip
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "People Tipping"

 

Comedian ISMO on the complexities of the word 'tip'

play contractions
On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

play peter-sokolowski-indict-graphic
Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

play video soup vs soop
An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut