Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner12]

Hello, teachers!!

When the baby was left alone in the room, it began to cry.
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Is this sentence usually used? In my opinion, if you know whether a baby boy or a baby girl, you will say: "he began to cry," "she began to cry."

Thank you in advance.

[Lorikeet]

"He", "she", and "it" are all used for babies. (You can't always tell if the baby is a boy or a girl.) Also, perhaps people complaining don't want to give the closer feeling. For example, "When I was on the airplane, the woman next to me was holding a baby, but it cried all the way."

On the other hand, people often refer to their pets with "he" or "she" because they consider them part of the family. "My dog is so cute. He always greets me when I come home."

[learner12]

Dear Lorikeet:

Thank you so much for your quick replies and kind explanations.

Have a nice day!!