Week 11 Grammar Girl Response

In Episode 111 of Grammar Girl, she talks about “Everybody: Singular or Plural.” Grammar Girl goes over the use of the words everybody versus everyone. Both words mean every person, so she says that to use what one sounds better to the writer. She says that the word everyone can be both one word or two words, but normally its used as one word. One of the biggest issues that Grammar Girl talked about was if the word are plural or singular. She says that you should not pair a singular noun, with a plural verb. Such as “ Everyone are happy.” American grammarians don’t agree that plural pronouns should be used with the words everyone and everybody. Grammar Girl says that the root of this problem boils down to the fact that English does not have a word to refer to a undetermined gender. It was said to use the words, he or she to solve the problem. I never knew that this was such a big issue. I believe that it is so simple to rewrite a sentence correctly be avoiding the use of singular nouns, with plural verbs. In school I was always taught that if you use those type of words together, that it was a incorrect sentence. That made perfect sense to me. Why would you say “Everyone are mad.” ? That just doesn’t sound right, no matter who’s saying it, or where it is written. I am glad that Grammar Girl covered this issue, it was a good refreshment course of plural verbs, and singular nouns.