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Suppose that I am talking to my friend about how to cheer up children, so which is correct?

When I think a bit more, both are correct: on their face means I am talking about it generally, in 'on their faces' I mean I am talking over children in front of me. Any suggestions?

a) Seeing their best friends would put smiles on their face.

b) Seeing their best friends would put smiles on their faces.

Jim
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Eug
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  • Please include your research! – marcellothearcane Sep 02 '19 at 07:45
  • I just thought about it, so it is not? Am I wrong in this thinking? – Eug Sep 02 '19 at 07:56
  • In that sense, each person put smiles (general here) on their or her/his face, so I thought they put smiles on their face if they see something interesting. But If I am surrounded by children, they put smiles..then I cannot say their face because I am seeing their faces.. Does it make sense? or Am I wrong? – Eug Sep 02 '19 at 07:58
  • Your theory is interesting but I don't think the fact that you can see the faces is relevant. Similar questions have been asked here https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/301625/theyre-using-a-cell-phone-vs-theyre-using-cell-phones and here https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/471314/usage-singular-vs-plural-for-in-their-hands-and-on-their-face?rq=1. You may find the answers helpful. – Shoe Sep 02 '19 at 08:24
  • How many people are you talking about? Is their being used as the gender-neutral third-party singular pronoun? Or is it talking about multiple people? Is it a single face or multiple faces? If multiple people, do they share a single face? – Jason Bassford Sep 02 '19 at 17:41
  • Many thanks all. Using their face is very unusual, actually incorrect ^^. – Eug Sep 03 '19 at 00:17

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