- Each man and boy must do his part. (Not their part.)
- Every soldier and every officer must do his duty.
- Many a city and many a village gave its best to the army.
- No comrade and no Socialist will give his consent to war.
223. If you have two singular nouns as antecedents, joined by or, or nor, use the singular pronoun, thus:
- Either Germany or France must abandon its position.
- Neither Wilson nor Bryan kept his promise to the people.
224. When you use a collective noun and are speaking of the collection as a whole, use a singular pronoun, as:
- The committee will make its report.
- The audience was hearty in its appreciation.
- The jury has returned its verdict.
225. But if you are referring to the individuals of the collection separately, use a plural pronoun; as:
- The committee adjourned for their dinner.
- The audience kept their seats until the close.
- The jury argued until their nerves were on edge.
PERSONIFICATION
226. We sometimes speak of things as if they were persons, and so use either masculine or feminine pronouns in referring to them. Such objects are said to be personified. Thus, we say:
- The sun his ceaseless course doth run.
- The moon sheds her silvery ray.
- Nature dons her robes of green.