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Use he or she accordingly as singular pronouns. Use of they/their as a plural pronoun is acceptable. Use of they (or similar) as a neutral singular pronoun is acceptable in situations where an individual does not identify as either male or female and requests to be identified by a neutral pronoun instead.

  • Singular: He sat the exam alongside 135 other students.
  • Plural: Derek and Sandra were departing for Paris in the morning. They hadn't packed yet.
  • Neutral: “You've got to shift with the times, language is always changing,” they say.

About the Writing Style Guide

This guide is designed to help ensure writing style – whether for internal or external audiences, written for print or online – is consistent and maintains a professional standard across the University. It is not designed for academic writing.

Feedback

Please send any feedback – including reports of errors or requests for changes – to writing.style@otago.ac.nz

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