Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[ice100]

Hello everybody~ I have a question on plural. hope you could teach me~

Let say,
Peter said his family's financial situation was not good.
Tom also said the same thing.

Then, if I want to combine the two, should I say
"They said their family's financial situation was not good". or
"They said their families' financial situations were not good." ??

Thank you very much.

[CP]

I would say, "Each one said that his family's financial situation was not good."

If you just had to use plural, then maybe, "They both said their respective families' financial situations were not good."
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You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[ice100]

understood. Thank you very much!!