Singular They

"They" is most often used as third-person plural pronoun. However, they can also be used to refer to a single something without a specific gender (as can the possessive, objective, and reflective forms of they: their, them, and themselves).

When you use they to refer to a single something, it's called the "singular they".

Here's an example of how it works:

  • A movie star can have a big influence on their fans.

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In the above example, "movie star" doesn't have a specific gender, so using the possessive form of "singular they" works because gender doesn't affect the sentiment.

Many people also use the "singular they" if they are gender non-conforming, non-binary, or simply don't identify as either a man or a woman. In any of those instances, "singular they" (and its forms) are used to refer to a single person.

Common Questions about Singular They

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