What pronouns are used to refer antecedents of common gender?

When referring to antecedents of common gender (meaning the antecedent could be male or female), the most common pronoun used is they/them/their. This is becoming increasingly standard in English, especially in informal settings and when the gender of the person is unknown or irrelevant.

Here are some examples:

* "Someone left their phone in the classroom." (The person could be male or female.)

* "If a student needs help, they can ask the teacher." (The student could be male or female.)

* "Everyone has their own opinion." (Everyone includes both men and women.)

However, in formal writing or when the context requires a specific gender, you may still use "he/him/his" or "she/her/hers" as a default, but this is becoming less common and might be considered outdated or even offensive in some cases.

Alternatives:

* "He or she": This option was widely used in the past, but it can be clunky and awkward.

* "One": This option can be used in formal writing to avoid gender-specific pronouns, but it can sound stilted.

* Rewriting the sentence to avoid the pronoun: This is often the best solution, especially in formal writing. For example, instead of "Everyone has their own opinion," you could write "Everyone has unique opinions."

Ultimately, the best pronoun to use depends on the specific context and your audience. It's important to be aware of the current trends and be respectful of people's identities.