Sorry for so many questions, unfortunately I have no chance to meet a native English speaker...
I always wondered is there any restrictions (may be slight) on using 'they' addressing an inanimated objects (although I don't realy know how I've got such an impression). Let's pretend I point on a bunch of firewood, is it OK to say 'They are wet' or may be it's not good and I should avoid this usage and say 'These are wet'?
Thank you for your help,
Dmitry
'they' once more
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DmitryL
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Re: 'they' once more
We use "they" for people AND objects in the plural.
(We use "it" for objects only - sometimes including animals - in the singular.)
However, your example is not good because firewood is uncountable and therefore singular.
It is wet.
There are some logs on the ground. They are wet.
Let's say you have been in the rain and you come home soaked. You want to take your clothes off because they are wet.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/pron ... rsonal.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/pron ... rative.htm
(We use "it" for objects only - sometimes including animals - in the singular.)
However, your example is not good because firewood is uncountable and therefore singular.
It is wet.
There are some logs on the ground. They are wet.
Let's say you have been in the rain and you come home soaked. You want to take your clothes off because they are wet.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/pron ... rsonal.htm
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/pron ... rative.htm