• Basic Writing questions is not a crit forum. All crits belong in Share Your Work

Is using the word "their" for inanimate objects wrong?

Lalaloopsy

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 25, 2015
Messages
171
Reaction score
6
Hi,

Would a sentence like this be correct?

"My eyes popped out of their pockets."

"In the accident, both of my shoulders dislocated from their sockets."

"The cars on the pier looked rusty and old, their windows smashed and mirrors missing."



I know this question sounds very basic, but I've heard in the past that you should never use "their" to describe an object. I know eyes don't count as objects, but hopefully you know what I mean.


Also, which word sounds better in this sentence? Which or that?

The radio, which played the same CD all day long, was getting on Rob's nerves.

OR

"The radio, that played the same CD all day long, was getting on Rob's nerves."

Thanks.
 
Last edited:

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,446
Reaction score
25,466
Location
Snow Cave
Whoever told you not to use their for inanimate objects is someone you should not get your writing advice from.

How else could you possibly phrase an inanimate possessive that's a plural? The books and their colorful dust jackets, the shoes and their knotted laces, the school buses and their drivers...

There are specific rules for which and that. A comma is required for which before and after the phrase it starts, and it has to add information that isn't necessary. No commas allowed for that, and it must provide vital information, most often an identifier.

The shoes that the prison provided were cheap slip-on canvas. <-the point is that the prison provides cheap shoes
The shoes, which the prison provided, were cheap slip-on canvas. <-the point is that the shoes are cheap, not where they come from

I got a whole lot of edits on this, on my first novel, and learned. And here they said I was too old!

Maryn, fearing they may have been right
 
Last edited:

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,617
Reaction score
7,297
Location
Wash., D.C. area
There are specific rules for which and that. A comma is required for which before and after the phrase it starts, and it has to add information that isn't necessary. No commas allowed for that, and it must provide vital information, most often an identifier.

The shoes that the prison provided were cheap slip-on canvas. <-the point is that the prison provides cheap shoes
The shoes, which the prison provided, were cheap slip-on canvas. <-the point is that the shoes are cheap, not where they come from

I got a whole lot of edits on this, on my first novel, and learned. And here they said I was too old!

Maryn, fearing they may have been right

Others will chime in with the correct information, but note for now that this rule differs between US and UK usage.
 

InkFinger

Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
4,296
Reaction score
1,566
Others will chime in with the correct information, but note for now that this rule differs between US and UK usage.

Does it? What is the rule in the UK?
 

Woollybear

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 27, 2017
Messages
9,723
Reaction score
9,704
Location
USA
LOL this is a fun prompt.

If 'their' is not correct, what is the correct substitution?

"My eyes popped out of its pockets."
"My eyes popped out of pockets."
"My eyes popped out of many pockets."
"My eyes popped out of some pockets."
"My eyes popped out of his pockets."
"My eyes popped out of my pockets."
"My eyes popped out of whose pockets?"
"Help, I've lost my eyes."
 

stephenf

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
1,199
Reaction score
335
They' re is short for they are
Their is it belongs to them . A trick to use to test if your using their correctly , try substituting their with our , if it still works than their is probably correct.
There is a place, similar to the word here.
 

RC turtle

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Messages
154
Reaction score
29
Location
Where I don't belong
LOL this is a fun prompt.

If 'their' is not correct, what is the correct substitution?

"My eyes popped out of its pockets."
"My eyes popped out of pockets."
"My eyes popped out of many pockets."
"My eyes popped out of some pockets."
"My eyes popped out of his pockets."
"My eyes popped out of my pockets."
"My eyes popped out of whose pockets?"
"Help, I've lost my eyes."

*its’s*
 

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 9, 2005
Messages
16,768
Reaction score
4,663
Location
Scotland
Does it? What is the rule in the UK?

I use 'which' to add information, and 'that' to identify, plus the commas before and after the which phrase. In other words I agree with Maryn.

There's no difference over here in the UK as far as I know although some folk may choose to regard 'which' and 'that' as interchangeable.

I don't :Shrug:.
 

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 4, 2009
Messages
22,617
Reaction score
7,297
Location
Wash., D.C. area
I use 'which' to add information, and 'that' to identify, plus the commas before and after the which phrase. In other words I agree with Maryn.

There's no difference over here in the UK as far as I know although some folk may choose to regard 'which' and 'that' as interchangeable.

I don't :Shrug:.

Huh. I guess the rule is not as "in stone" as I thought it was.
 

Maryn

Sees All
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
55,446
Reaction score
25,466
Location
Snow Cave
Stone carving takes so long, and what's the point if they're just going to change the damned rule anyway, right?
 

Roxxsmom

Beastly Fido
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 24, 2011
Messages
23,083
Reaction score
10,777
Location
Where faults collide
Website
doggedlywriting.blogspot.com
Why would it be incorrect if you are using "their" to refer to both eyes or both arms? What alternative would you have, aside from repeating "his arms" or "my eyes" or whatever, or to find some way to write around the whole thing, which would be a bit awkward and definitely unnecessary.

Also, why wouldn't eyes count as objects? They are.

If an inanimate object can possess something, even if it's a figurative possession, I can't imagine what other word you would use here?
 

onesecondglance

pretending to be awake
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
5,359
Reaction score
1,661
Location
Berkshire, UK
Website
soundcloud.com
Huh. I guess the rule is not as "in stone" as I thought it was.

There's virtually no formal grammar teaching in the UK - or at least, there wasn't in the period I was in the system. About the only rule I knew about "that" and "which" before reading this thread was that "which" clauses must be preceded by a comma, and "that" clauses shouldn't be. Bear in mind that I am educated to postgrad level...

e.g.

Not: "This author's invented world was so rich, that I was immediately drawn to it"
But: "This author's invented world was so rich that I was immediately drawn to it"

Not: "I like reading which is why I have books all over the house"
But: "I like reading, which is why I have books all over the house"

I couldn't tell you if that's anything to do with restrictive/non-restrictive? Nor if there's any UK/US divide here.


(Also, as a point of comparison...

Not: "The house which I had once lived in was now falling down"
I suppose, technically, but it sounds 'fancy': "The house, which I had once lived in, was now falling down"
More likely to hear: "The house that I had once lived in was now falling down")
 
Last edited: