“A student is working on their own project”: a systematic review of epicene singular they by learners of English

Gender-neutral language serves as a powerful tool for promoting gender equality and inclusivity in today’s gender-diverse world. Among such linguistic devices, singular they , proposed as an alternative to generic he and the paired form he or she , has recently garnered notable attention as an epicene pronoun, used to refer to a generic individual whose gender is unknown or unspecified. In this systematic review, we synthesized existing empirical research on singular they as an epicene pronoun among learners of English as a second or foreign language. We also surveyed the methodological characteristics of these studies and summarized the factors influencing learners’ engagement with singular they . An analysis of 18 studies yielded three key findings. First, researchers employed diverse data sources to investigate how learners from various first language backgrounds used , perceived , and processed singular they in gender-neutral contexts. However, most studies focused on college-aged learners’ use of singular they by utilizing elicitation instruments. Second, while earlier studies reported a predominant use of generic he , recent research revealed an upward trend in using singular they , signaling a gradual shift in epicene pronoun usage among learners. Learners generally did not experience difficulty processing singular they , but mixed attitudes – both positive and negative – along with discrepancies between perception and practice were observed regarding singular they . Third, a range of learner, linguistic, and contextual factors were shown to influence learners’ pronominal preference for singular they over generic he and he or she , underscoring the complexity of this linguistic phenomenon. Pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research are also discussed.