their
their — 限定詞
1. owned by or connected with a group that was mentioned before — the group may inc
他們的
屬於或與前述群體有關
owned by or connected with a group that was mentioned before — the group may include people, animals, or objects that the speaker and listener already know about.
The children picked up their bags and walked to the bus.
孩子們拿起他們的書包，走向巴士。
their + noun: physical possession
Salma and Reuben sold their old sofa and bought a smaller one.
Salma 和 Reuben 賣掉了他們的舊沙發，換了一張比較小的。
The Watanabe family decorated their house with paper lanterns every spring.
渡邊家每年春天都會用紙燈籠裝飾他們的房子。
The cats finished their food and went outside to play in the garden.
那些貓吃完牠們的食物後，就到外面的花園去玩了。
文法句型
their + noun
用法筆記
This is the most common use of 'their'. The noun that follows 'their' can be a physical object, a family member, a body part, or an abstract thing belonging to the group.
常見錯誤
2. used instead of 'his' or 'her' when talking about one person whose gender is not
他們的
代替his/her，性別不明時使用
used instead of 'his' or 'her' when talking about one person whose gender is not known, not stated, or not important — for example, if a student forgot their book, you do not know if the student is a boy or a girl, so you say 'their'.
Someone left their umbrella in the classroom after the meeting.
有人開完會後把雨傘忘在教室裡了。
their + noun: singular they with 'someone'
If a customer is unhappy, please listen to their complaint carefully.
如果顧客不滿意，請耐心聽取他們的意見。
Each student must hand in their homework by Friday morning.
每位學生必須在星期五早上之前繳交自己的作業。
Noor wants to bring their cousin to the party — I hope that is OK with you.
Noor 想帶他(她)的表弟來參加派對——希望你不介意。
- his or her
formal and wordy alternative; 'their' is now preferred in most contexts
文法句型
their + noun (referring to one person)
用法筆記
This use of 'their' with a singular meaning is now standard in both spoken and written English. It is preferred over the older 'his or her' because it is shorter and more inclusive. The verb that follows the subject stays plural even when the meaning is singular: 'Someone left their bag' (not 'leaves').
常見錯誤
their — 形容詞
1. showing that some people or things are the ones that perform or experience an ac
其
與動作主體或受體相關的
showing that some people or things are the ones that perform or experience an action — used before nouns that name an action, feeling, or state rather than a physical object.
The team celebrated their victory with a parade through the city centre.
該球隊在市中心遊行慶祝其勝利。
their + action noun: 'their victory' (they won)
Asher and Élise were shocked by their sudden dismissal from the committee.
Asher 和 Élise 對其突然被委員會解職感到震驚。
The prisoners accepted their punishment and did not protest further.
那些囚犯接受了其處罰，沒有再抗議。
Folake admired their generosity in giving so much money to the local library.
Folake 很欽佩他們慷慨捐贈那麼多錢給當地圖書館。
The company's reputation fell after their failure to fix the safety problems.
該公司在解決安全問題上的失敗使其聲譽受損。
文法句型
their + action noun
用法筆記
This sense differs from the determiner sense 'GROUP POSSESSION' because the noun that follows is typically an action word (victory, dismissal, punishment) rather than a physical object. The group is the doer or receiver of the action, not just the owner of a thing.
2. used before an action noun or state noun to refer to one person without saying i
他(她)的
不分性別，指稱單數者
used before an action noun or state noun to refer to one person without saying if the person is male or female — for example, 'Why would anyone risk their safety?' could refer to a man, a woman, or a non-binary person.
Why would anyone risk their safety for a stranger?
為什麼有人會為了陌生人而不顧自身安全？
their + abstract noun: singular they
The nurse asked each patient about their medical history before the operation.
護理師在手術前詢問每位病人的病歷。
Nobody wants to admit their mistake in front of a large group of people.
沒有人願意在一大群人面前承認自己的錯誤。
Brooke's cousin works as a musician — I went to hear their band play last Saturday.
Brooke 的表哥是音樂家——我上週六去聽他(她)的樂團表演。
If a driver is lost, ask them about their destination before giving directions.
如果駕駛迷路了，先問清楚他們的目的地再指路。
- his or her
more formal and less common; 'their' is preferred in modern English
文法句型
their + noun (singular referent)
用法筆記
This sense overlaps with the determiner sense 'SINGULAR THEY' but is used with abstract or action nouns (safety, history, mistake) rather than physical objects. It is now standard in formal writing, including academic and professional contexts.