1. Possessive Pronoun:
* Meaning: Belonging to or associated with two or more people or things.
* Example: "The children played with their toys." ("Their" refers to the toys belonging to the children)
2. Plural Pronoun (Informal):
* Meaning: Used informally to refer to a singular person when their gender is unknown or when referring to a person in a neutral way.
* Example: "Someone left their phone on the table." ("Their" refers to the unknown person who left the phone)
3. Formal Plural Pronoun:
* Meaning: Used in formal writing to refer to a single person, especially when the gender is unknown or not relevant.
* Example: "Every student must submit their assignment by Friday." (This is a formal way to avoid assuming the gender of the students)
Important Note: The use of "their" as a singular pronoun is increasingly common in informal contexts and even in some formal writing. It's becoming a more accepted way to refer to someone whose gender is unknown or non-binary.