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"One of the students lost his books." vs "One of the students lost their books."

Both phrases are correct, but they differ in terms of grammatical agreement. The first phrase uses 'his' for singular agreement, while the second phrase uses 'their' for gender-neutral or plural agreement. The choice between them depends on whether you want to emphasize singular or gender-neutral/plural reference.

Last Updated: March 27, 2024

One of the students lost his books.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to refer to a singular student losing their books.

This phrase is used when referring to a singular student among a group who has lost their books. 'His' is used for singular agreement.

Examples:

  • One of the students lost his books in the library.
  • One of the students lost his books on the way to school.

Alternatives:

  • One of the students lost the books.
  • One student lost his books.
  • One student lost the books.
  • One of the students lost his book.
  • One of the students lost his textbook.

One of the students lost their books.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to provide a gender-neutral or plural reference when talking about a singular student losing their books.

This phrase is used when referring to a singular student among a group who has lost their books. 'Their' is used for gender-neutral or plural agreement.

Examples:

  • One of the students lost their books in the classroom.
  • One of the students lost their books on the field trip.

Alternatives:

  • One of the students lost the books.
  • One student lost their books.
  • One student lost the books.
  • One of the students lost his books.
  • One of the students lost his book.

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