GENDER

216. You notice in all of these tables that there are three forms given for the third person singular, he, she, and it. These are the only forms in which pronouns express gender. In all other forms the gender can be determined only by the gender of the antecedent.

He, representing a male, is masculine.

She, representing a female, is the feminine.

It represents a sexless thing, and hence is said to be of the neuter gender.

THE LITTLE VERB BE

217. You remember when we studied verbs, we had the incomplete verb that took an object; the complete verb that needed no object, since it was complete in itself; and one other kind of a verb. Do you remember this third kind of verb? This third kind is the copulative verb, and the copulative verb which we use most frequently is the one in the use of which we make the most mistakes.

It is that troublesome, bothersome, little verb be, which is so difficult to master. You remember it is an incomplete verb, but instead of taking an object, it takes a complement or completing word. So when you see a pronoun with any form of this verb be, you must use the subject form and not the object form. This copulative verb be is simply a connecting word, not a verb that asserts action or takes an object.

218. Here is where we make so many mistakes. We say, It was me, It was them, It was him, It wasn't her; instead of, It was I, It was they, It was he, It wasn't she. We have used the incorrect form in this particular so often that the correct form has a strange sound to our ears.

The only way to remedy this is to repeat over and over aloud the correct form until it has a familiar sound. Don't think this is putting on airs. It is not. It is simply demanding the best for yourself in words, as you should do in everything. We of the working class have built the world in its beauty. Why should we live in shacks, dress in shoddy, talk in slang? There is no reason except that we endure it. When the united working class demands its own, it will receive it. Demand yours and arouse the stupid from their sleep as rapidly as you can.

Repeat the following sentences aloud ten times every day this week and see if the correct form does not come to your lips more readily. We can learn the rule, but only continued practice and watchfulness can break us of our old habits.

Agreement

219. Pronouns are very agreeable members of the co-operative commonwealth of words. They strive to agree with their antecedents. Sometimes we do not allow the pronoun to agree, and then our sentence is incorrect.

A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, gender and person.

For example, if you are referring to one man, you must use a masculine pronoun, singular, third person form, as I saw the man but he did not see me. Man is the antecedent. It is singular, masculine, third person and so we use the pronoun he.

The girl came, but she could not stay. In this sentence girl is the antecedent; it is singular, feminine, third person, and so we use the pronoun she.

The boys did not come when the teacher called them. In this sentence boys is the antecedent; it is plural, masculine, third person, and so we use the pronoun them.

220. Sometimes there are two words used as the antecedent, joined by and. We use a singular pronoun in referring to them if they denote the same person or thing; as:

221. But two nouns joined by and, that mean different persons or things, must be represented by a plural pronoun, thus:

222. Use the singular pronoun when the nouns are kept separate by the use of each, every, many a, or no.

223. If you have two singular nouns as antecedents, joined by or, or nor, use the singular pronoun, thus:

224. When you use a collective noun and are speaking of the collection as a whole, use a singular pronoun, as:

225. But if you are referring to the individuals of the collection separately, use a plural pronoun; as: