Shifts in Numberand Person

Shifts in Numberand Person

NEC FACET Center

PART 1PART 1

Shifts in Person

What is “person”?What is “person”?

• In English grammar, the term “person” refers to a classification system for pronouns.

• Pronouns are common words we use to take the place of nouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they, etc.)

How do we classify pronouns?How do we classify pronouns?

• When speaking of these pronouns, we can divide them into groups in two ways:• according to whether they are singular or

plural--one or more than one.• according to whether they are first person,

second person, or third person.

Classification of PronounsClassification of Pronouns

SINGULAR PLURAL

FIRSTPERSON

I, me, my we, us,our

SECONDPERSON

you, your you, your

THIRDPERSON

he, she,him, her,his, hers,it, its

they,them,their

mine , ours

yours yours

theirs,

, ,

,

Recognizing 1st

PersonRecognizing 1st

Person

• Writers or speakers who use first person speak directly about themselves by using the words I, me, my, mine.

I think I will start a newcompany. I want some-thing that is all mine!

Recognizing 1st

PersonRecognizing 1st

Person• Writers or speakers who use

first person speak directly about them-selves by using the words I, me, my, mine or the plural pronouns we, us, our, ours.

• Notice that the speaker is still talking about himself even though he is now including someone else.

We could start our own company. Then we could have something that is truly ours.

Recognizing 2nd Person

Recognizing 2nd Person

• Writers or speakers who use second person are not speaking about them- selves.

• They are writing or speaking directly to someone else.

You could start your own company. Then you could have something that is truly yours.

Recognizing 3rd Person

Recognizing 3rd Person

• Writers or speakers who use third person are neither speaking about themselves nor directly to someone else.

• They are writing or speaking about someone or something else by using words such as he, him, she, her, it, its.

Sandra should start her own

business.

What is a shift in person?What is a shift in person?

A shift in person refers to a mistaken change

in person within a sentence or group of

related sentences.

Example of a Shift in PersonExample of a Shift in Person

• When people get angry, we sometimes say things you would not say when calm.

• Do you recognize the problems?

Example of a Shift in PersonExample of a Shift in Person

• When people get angry, we sometimes say things you would not say when calm.

• people = 3rd person• we = 1st person• you = 2nd person

Revised SentenceRevised Sentence

• When people get angry, they sometimes say things they would not say when calm.

• people = 3rd person• they = 3rd person

Another Shift in PersonAnother Shift in Person

• On reaching the campsite, one must be upset to discover you must walk another mile for fresh drinking water.

• Can you spot the problem?

Another Shift in PersonAnother Shift in Person

• On reaching the campsite, one must be upset to discover you must walk another mile for fresh drinking water.

• one = 3rd person; you = 2nd person• How can you revise it?

Revised SentenceRevised Sentence• On reaching the campsite, one must be upset to

discover one must walk another mile for fresh drinking water.

• On reaching the campsite, one must be upset to discover he or she must walk another mile for fresh drinking water.

• On reaching the campsite, you must be upset to discover you must walk another mile for fresh drinking water.

Another Shift in PersonAnother Shift in Person

• Nick, Lisa, and I took a close look at the money, and you could see that it was fake.

• How would you correct this sentence?

Revised SentenceRevised Sentence• Nick, Lisa, and I took a

close look at the money, and we could see that it was fake.

• Change the 2nd person you to first person plural we. Notice that the subject (Nick, Lisa, and I) is first person plural.

PART 2PART 2

Shifts in Number

Pronoun NumberPronoun Number• You may remember from the pronoun chart that

some pronouns are singular and others plural.

One

More than one

Singular and Plural PronounsSingular and Plural Pronouns

Plural: we, us, our, ours, they, them, their, theirs

Singular: I, me, my, mine, she, her, hers(or he, him, his when referring to a manor a boy )

Singular:it, its

Special NoteSpecial Note• Depending on whether one is writing or speaking

to an individual or a group, second person pronouns (including you, your, yours) can be either singular or plural.

Would youlike to use my phone?

Choosing the Right PronounChoosing the Right Pronoun

• Just as you select pronouns based on the correct “person,” you must also select them based on “number.”

• Only two types of number exist: • singular• plural

What is a shift in number?What is a shift in number?

• Changing from singular to plural or from plural to singular when referring to the same person or thing creates a shift in number.

How do I know if I am shifting number?

How do I know if I am shifting number?

• First, you must recognize the word serving as the “antecedent” for the pronoun.

• Then you must match the “number” of the pronoun to the “number” of the antecedent.

Singular orplural?

What is an antecedent?What is an antecedent?

• Although this rule may sound difficult, it is actually quite simple.

• The antecedent is the word that the pronoun refers to--in other words, the word the pronoun is renaming.

ExampleExample

• The car looked brand new although it was actually sixty years old.

• Pronoun: it (singular)• Antecedent: car (singular)

Another ExampleAnother Example

• These students attend college during the day, and they work in a restaurant at night.

• Pronoun?• Antecedent?

Another ExampleAnother Example

• These students attend college during the day, and they work in a restaurant at night.

• Pronoun? they (plural)• Antecedent? students

(plural)

A Final ExampleA Final Example• The manager was

almost run down as shoppers hurried past him toward the meat department.

• Pronoun?• Antecedent?

A Final ExampleA Final Example• The manager was

almost run down as shoppers hurried past him toward the meat department.

• Pronoun? him (singular)

• Antecedent? manager (singular)

Example of a Shift in NumberExample of a Shift in Number

• Classes have been cancelled for today, but it will resume tomorrow.

• Pronoun?• Antecedent?

Example of a Shift in NumberExample of a Shift in Number

• Classes have been cancelled for today, but it will resume tomorrow.

• Pronoun? it (singular)• Antecedent? Classes (plural)• When pronoun and antecedent

don’t match in number, you have a “shift in number.”

Revising the ShiftRevising the Shift

• Classes have been cancelled for today, but they will resume tomorrow.

• Pronoun? they (plural)• Antecedent? Classes (plural)

A Common Cause of Shifts in Number

A Common Cause of Shifts in Number

• Shifts in number often result when a writer tries to avoid “gender bias.”

• “Gender bias” refers to discrimination against either sex--male or female.

Example of Number Shift to Avoid Gender Bias

Example of Number Shift to Avoid Gender Bias

• An employee who wishes to take time off during the holidays should submit their request by Friday.

• their (plural)• employee (singular)

The ResultThe Result

• Although the writer correctly included both sexes, the result was a pronoun error.

• The writer could have avoided the error in either of two ways:

Revision # 1Revision # 1

• An employee who wishes to take time off during the holidays should submit his or her request by Friday.

• Both pronoun and antecedent are now singular.

Caution Caution • This solution works well as long as the writer

does not need to use “his or her” repeatedly.• Such repetition would result in awkward

sentences.

his or herhis or her

his or her his or her his or her

his or her

Revision # 2

Revision # 2

• Employees who wish to take time off during the holidays should submit their requests by Friday.

• By using a plural pronoun and plural antecedent, writers can avoid both the pronoun error and the potentially awkward sentences using “his or her.”

Can you spot the shift in number?

Can you spot the shift in number?

• Both snakes hissed, and one flicked their tongue.

The Shift in Number RevisedThe Shift in Number Revised

• Both snakes hissed, and one flicked its tongue.

Collective NounsCollective Nouns

• Collective nouns represent a group and are usually considered singular.

faculty

government

class

committee

jury

team

tribe

society

companyflock

school

ExampleExample• Incorrect: The jury

deliberated two weeks before giving their verdict to the judge.

• Correct: The jury deliberated two weeks before giving its verdict to the judge.

• The jury acts as a single unit.

Another ExampleAnother Example

• Incorrect: A family offers their members both physical and emotional support.

• Correct: A family offers its members both physical and emotional support.

A Third ExampleA Third Example

• Incorrect: The orchestra gave their summer concert on the Fourth of July.

• Correct: The orchestra gave its summer concert on the Fourth of July.

Think of an appropriate pronoun.Think of an appropriate pronoun.

• The committee will soon make _____ recommendations.

• The team will play for the championship if ____ can win one more game.

• After touring Gilcrease Museum, the class loaded into _____ school bus.

The AnswersThe Answers

• The committee will soon make its recommendations.

• The team will play for the championship if it can win one more game.

• After touring Gilcrease Museum, the class loaded into its school bus.

Indefinite PronounsIndefinite Pronouns

• When writing, you must also pay particular attention to indefinite pronouns, such as the following, when they serve as antecedents:• anyone, everyone, someone, no one• anybody, everybody, somebody, nobody• either, neither• each of, either of, neither of, one of, every one of,

Singular or Plural?Singular or Plural?

• Indefinite pronouns are normally considered singular.

• Therefore, when they serve as antecedents, the pronouns that follow them should be singular.

ExampleExample• Incorrect: Neither of the boys

has opened their gift yet.• Correct: Neither of the boys

has opened his gift yet.• In this sentence, we are looking

at the boys as individuals. • Each boy has received his own

gift and will open it himself.

Another ExampleAnother Example

• Incorrect: Everyone has their own opinion.

• Correct: Everyone has his or her own opinion.

• Again, each person is looked at as an individual.

Think of an appropriate pronoun.Think of an appropriate pronoun.

• Someone left _____ purse in the shopping cart.

• Each of the houses has a hot tub in _________ master bathroom.

• Everyone is entitled to ______ own opinion.

• Neither of the actors had memorized ____ lines yet.

The AnswersThe Answers• Someone left her purse in the shopping

cart.• Each of the houses has a hot tub in its

master bathroom. • Everyone is entitled to his or her own

opinion.• Neither of the actors had memorized his

lines yet.

REMEMBER--REMEMBER--

• Pronouns and antecedents must agree in person and number.

Some of the Rules Some of the Rules

• Use 1st person pronouns when writing or speaking about yourself.

• Use 2nd person pronouns when talking or speaking directly to another person or group.

• Use 3rd person when talking or speaking about another person, object, or group.

The Remaining RulesThe Remaining Rules

• Use singular pronouns when the antecedent is singular. (Remember that indefinite pronouns and collective nouns are nearly always singular.)

• Use plural pronouns when the antecedent is plural.