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The user taps a link, then grabs their mouse.

Is this correct? Or should one use “tap” and “grab”?

My instinct is to mix “taps” and “grab”, due to the latter’s closeness to “their”, but I doubt such a mix is correct.

KillingTime
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    Since you know that "user" and "their" are both singular, isn't the answer obvious? – KillingTime Mar 12 '24 at 20:57
  • @KillingTime Since I went to the trouble of creating an account and figuring out how to best ask my question, isn’t your question dubious? Hint: not everyone speaks English as their first language. –  Mar 12 '24 at 21:03
  • "The user taps a link," yes. Simple fixes include 1-"then grabs the mouse." Or, 2- "Users tap a link, then grab their mouse." Or, 3-"Tap a link, then grab your mouse." It is standard in IT to switch to plural 'users' and write in the second person with no pronouns at all (no he/she, no his/hers.) – Yosef Baskin Mar 12 '24 at 21:09
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    @YosefBaskin None of your fixes sound right, “the mouse” is awkward, it’s their mouse. My sentence is in the context of computer code dealing with one user’s interactions (in their browser), so pluralizing the user doesn’t sound right either. (I’m also confused at singular they declared to be acceptable but then potentially needing “fixes”.) –  Mar 12 '24 at 21:24
  • Let me address singular declared acceptable but then potentially needing fixes. I avoid the singular they, but was trying to help you within your own structure. That's politeness, saying you're not wrong but offering improvements. Since commenting code is rare, you are ahead of the game to write your original sentence. Again, polite. – Yosef Baskin Mar 12 '24 at 21:48
  • What does the user use to tap the link? Before grabbing the mouse? – Xanne Mar 12 '24 at 21:54
  • @Xanne Their finger and touchscreen. Touching a link then using their mouse/trackpad is rare but can happen, for instance if it seems using touch didn’t have the desired effect. –  Mar 12 '24 at 22:14
  • Seems a near-duplicate of https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/471314/usage-singular-vs-plural-for-in-their-hands-and-on-their-face although that is about singular nouns not singular verbs – Stuart F Mar 13 '24 at 04:38
  • More about nouns https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/584255/when-using-their-as-a-gender-neutral-singular-pronoun-should-a-noun-that-foll https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/114077/singular-noun-objects-of-plural-subjects – Stuart F Mar 13 '24 at 04:40

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