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Choose the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.

Later when asked about his decision he said, "The first rule of sailing is, when you see _______ in trouble, you help him."
Options:
(a) anyone
(b) none
(c) someone
(d) one

My try:- I got confused in options (a) and (c). Option (c)None can't be used as it doesn't make any sense. Option (d)one can't be used. But I think both the options (a) and (c) make sense.

sai saandeep
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    You cannot really refer to "anyone" as "him," while "someone" can be referred to as "him." – Stephen S Mar 30 '17 at 04:05
  • I didn't quite understand you sir. – sai saandeep Mar 30 '17 at 04:17
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    [This](http://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/16132/anyone-vs-someone-which-one) might help you. – Yuri Mar 30 '17 at 04:24
  • Please don't call people on the internet "sir". It's rude and unnecessary. – Catija Mar 30 '17 at 05:11
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    Sir ----- giving respect to a person – sai saandeep Mar 30 '17 at 05:13
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    I think the "sir" had been fine, but "Stephen S" would be the best person to let you know if he had felt that you were being rude. While it is often perceived as being sarcastic, I can see here that you had not meant it so. – Teacher KSHuang Mar 30 '17 at 08:31
  • Meanwhile, Catija's not totally wrong: It had not been entirely necessary, even if you had meant to express respect for Stephen. But we should all consider whether we should extend our own values to people of backgrounds different from ourselves. – Teacher KSHuang Mar 30 '17 at 08:32
  • @saisaandeep In English, the personal pronoun "him" is singular. "Someone" describes a single, random person. "Anyone" does not really refer to one person, but rather that the idea that any person can do it. Therefore, when "him" is used in the sentence, it cannot refer back to anyone, because he is not an anyone, but he is a someone. – Stephen S Mar 30 '17 at 12:24
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    @saisaandeep the reason that others have been offended for me is because sir is male-specific, and in the off chance that someone with a male name is female, ma'am would be more appropriate. I don't care, personally. – Stephen S Mar 30 '17 at 12:25

1 Answers1

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The appropriate fill in is governed by the final him. Since it is singular, someone is used.

"The first rule of sailing is, when you see someone in trouble, you help him."

otherwise,

"The first rule of sailing is, when you see anyone in trouble, you help them."

Peter
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