Gender

Gender in grammar means whether a noun refers to a male or a female. Some nouns have special masculine and feminine forms, and knowing the correct pair helps you write clearly and accurately.

What You'll Learn

• More masculine/feminine pairs for people, including those formed by adding or changing a suffix (actor/actress, hero/heroine)
• How masculine and feminine forms are created using common patterns (-ess, -ine, -ress)
• The correct gender pairs for common animals (rooster/hen, bull/cow)
• How to choose the right gender noun to match the context of a sentence

When to Use

1. Describing people with gendered titles: "The actor thanked the audience after his brilliant performance."
2. Talking about animal genders: "The rooster crowed loudly at dawn while the hen sat on her eggs."
3. Writing about royalty or leaders: "The prince and the princess waved to the crowd from the balcony."
4. Using the correct form in formal writing: "The waiter brought the menu to our table."
5. Identifying the gender of a character in a story: "The brave heroine saved the village from danger."

How to Form

Pattern 1: Different Words for Masculine and Feminine

Some gender pairs use completely different words. You need to memorise these.

Pattern 2: Adding or Changing a Suffix

Many feminine forms are created by adding -ess, -ine, or -ress to the masculine form.

Pattern 3: Animal Gender Pairs

Animals often have completely different words for the male and female.

Key Rules

1. Masculine nouns refer to males; feminine nouns refer to females: Always match the gender noun to the person or animal you are describing. "The actress delivered her lines perfectly."

2. Some pairs use different words entirely: There is no spelling pattern to follow -- you must learn them. "Uncle" does not become "uncleness"; the feminine form is "aunt."

3. The -ess suffix is the most common pattern: When you see a feminine noun ending in -ess, the masculine form usually drops that suffix. "Waitress" comes from "waiter." "Lioness" comes from "lion."

4. Animal gender words are specific: Do not use "boy cow" or "girl horse." Use the correct terms: "bull" and "cow", "stallion" and "mare."

5. Some words are gender-neutral: Words like "teacher," "doctor," "pilot," and "cousin" can refer to both males and females. You do not need to change these words based on gender.

6. Context helps you choose: Read the rest of the sentence for clues. Pronouns like "he," "his," "she," and "her" tell you which gender noun to use. "She is a talented actress."

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

Clue words that point to masculine nouns:

he, him, his, boy, man, male, father, brother, Mr, sir

Clue words that point to feminine nouns:

she, her, hers, girl, woman, female, mother, sister, Mrs, Miss, madam

Common suffix patterns:

-ess (actress, lioness, hostess), -ine (heroine), -ress (waitress)

Tip: When you see a blank in a sentence, look for pronouns like "he" or "she" nearby. They are the biggest clue for choosing between the masculine and feminine form. If the sentence says "She is a ___," you know you need the feminine noun.

Practice Tips

1. Match the pairs: Write all the masculine nouns from the tables above on one side of a card and the feminine nouns on the other. Test yourself by covering one side and trying to recall the matching form.

2. Sort by pattern: Group the pairs into "different words" (king/queen), "add -ess" (actor/actress), and "animals" (bull/cow). This helps you remember which pattern each pair follows.

3. Pronoun check: Before choosing a gender noun in a sentence, find the pronoun (he/she/him/her) that goes with it. The pronoun tells you whether to pick the masculine or feminine form.

4. Read animal books: When reading about animals, pay attention to the names used for males and females. Nature books and encyclopaedias often use the proper gender terms.

Quick Reference

People -- Common Pairs

Animals -- Common Pairs