Section: Inclusive writing
Go to the main page of this section: Inclusive writing – Guidelines and resources.
On this page
- Introduction
- Guidelines for repeating the noun
- Advantages of repeating the noun
- Additional information
Introduction
You probably learned in school to avoid using the same noun more than once in a sentence. This is usually because the reader doesn’t need the same information twice. However, one way to write inclusively is by intentionally repeating a noun, a technique that can help you avoid gender-specific pronouns.
| Gendered sentence | Inclusive solution |
|---|---|
| When an employee is required by the employer to work overtime, he will be compensated accordingly. | When an employee is required by the employer to work overtime, the employee will be compensated accordingly. |
Guidelines for repeating the noun
Ask yourself these questions:
- Are there many words between the first use of the noun and its pronoun?
- Does the sentence have more than one noun?
If the answer to either of these questions is yes, try repeating the noun to make the sentence both clear and inclusive.
| Gendered sentence | Inclusive solution |
|---|---|
| An athlete’s road to the Olympics is long and arduous and is sure to test her resolve. | An athlete’s road to the Olympics is long and arduous and is sure to test the athlete’s resolve. |
| If a judge interrupts counsel, counsel must wait until he or she is finished speaking before replying. | If a judge interrupts counsel, counsel must wait until the judge is finished speaking before replying. |
If the sentence is short or if repeating the noun would force you to use the noun more than twice, you may want to consider other gender-inclusive solutions.
Advantages of repeating the noun
If your sentence has more than one noun, repeating the noun has an advantage over other gender-inclusive solutions: it prevents ambiguity.
Of course, to replace a gender-specific pronoun, you can also use the singular “they” (see our article Gender-inclusive writing: Use the singular “they”). However, using this technique in sentences that have more than one noun can sometimes lead to confusion. Repeating the noun, on the other hand, adds precision and can be a useful inclusive technique for legal writing or other formal contexts where you need to avoid all ambiguity.
| Gendered sentence | Inclusive but unclear solution | Inclusive and clear solution |
|---|---|---|
| A teacher can provide instruction to students even after her official class hours have ended. | A teacher can provide instruction to students even after their official class hours have ended. | A teacher can provide instruction to students even after the teacher’s official class hours have ended. |
| When a tenant is in conflict with another occupant, he must submit a written explanation of the conflict within 30 days. | When a tenant is in conflict with another occupant, they must submit a written explanation of the conflict within 30 days. | When a tenant is in conflict with another occupant, the tenant must submit a written explanation of the conflict within 30 days. |
Additional information
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