THE FOLLOWING RULES GOVERN THE GENDER OF PRONOUNS:
MASCULINE; referred to by _HE, HIS_, and _HIM_:
1. Nouns denoting males are always masculine.
2. Nouns denoting things remarkable for strength, power, sublimity, or size, when those things are regarded as if they were persons, are masculine; _as, WINTER, with HIS chilly army, destroyed them all_.
3. Singular nouns denoting persons of both sexes are masculine; as, _EVERY ONE brought HIS umbrella_.
FEMININE; referred to by _SHE, HER_, or _HERS_:
1. Nouns denoting females are always feminine.
2. Nouns denoting objects remarkable for beauty, gentleness, and peace, when spoken of as if they were persons, are feminine; as, _SLEEP healed him with HER fostering care_.
1. Nouns denoting objects without sex are neuter.
2. Nouns denoting objects whose sex is disregarded are neuter; as, _IT is a pretty child, The WOLF is the most savage of ITS race_.
3. Collective nouns referring to a group of individuals as a unit are neuter; as, _The JURY gives its VERDICT, The COMMITTEE makes ITS report_.
An animal named may be regarded as masculine; feminine, or neuter, according to the characteristics the writer fancies it to possess; as, _The WOLF seeks HIS prey, The MOUSE nibbled HER way into the box, The BIRD seeks ITS nest.
Certain nouns may be applied to persons of either sex. They are then said to be of COMMON GENDER. There are no pronouns of common gender; hence those nouns are referred to as follows:
1. By masculine pronouns when known to denote males; as, _MY CLASS-MATE_ (known to be Harry) _is taking HIS examinations_.
2. By feminine pronouns when known to denote females; as, _EACH OF THE PUPILS of the Girls High School brought HER book._
3. By masculine pronouns when there is nothing in the connection of the thought to show the sex of the object; as, _Let every PERSON bring his book_.
21. NUMBER OF PRONOUNS. A more common source of error than disagreement in gender is disagreement in number. _They, their, theirs_, and _them_ are plural, but are often improperly used when only singular pronouns should be used. The cause of the error is failure to realize the true antecedent.
_If ANYBODY makes that statement, THEY are misinformed_. This sentence is wrong. _Anybody_ refers to only one person; both _any_ and _body_, the parts of the word, denote the singular. The sentence should read, _If ANYBODY makes that statement, HE is misinformed. Similarly, _Let EVERYBODY keep THEIR peace_, should read, _Let EVERYBODY keep HIS peace.