Ask the Editor
The Singular They
Question
In the example "A new teacher is coming to our school. They are here for an interview with the principal," why is the plural pronoun "they" used in the second sentence when the subject, "a new teacher," is singular?
—
Terry
,
Singapore
Answer
The pronoun "they" can be used as a singular pronoun when it is used to refer to a person whose sex is not known or specified. Below are some examples.
- We need a new manager for the store down town. They will need to have some managerial experience to apply for the job.
- Find a babysitter who can prove they are responsible and are certified in CPR.
- An employee will not do a good job if they don’t have the right training.
Many grammarians and English teachers oppose the use of they (and its other forms: their, them, themselves) as a singular pronoun and encourage students to use "he or she" instead. However, because English does not have a common-gender, or gender neutral, third person singular personal pronoun, writers and speakers often use they. It is a well-established use. It can be used like in the examples above, when the gender of the person referred to is not known, and it can be used to refer to indefinite pronouns such as everyone, someone, and anyone, as in the examples below.
- Everyone should take their seats.
- Someone was just here and they left their phone behind.
- Anyone can learn to ride a bike if they try.
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