What are the 4 genders in grammar?

The Four Genders in English Grammar

While modern discussions of gender often focus on identity and social context, in traditional English grammar, the term "gender" refers to a grammatical classification system used primarily to assign the correct pronouns—like he, she, or it—to nouns.

There are four grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, common, and neuter. Masculine gender applies to male beings—such as "man," "boy," or "actor"—and typically pairs with the pronoun he. Feminine gender refers to female beings—like "woman," "girl," or "actress"—and uses she.

Common gender is a bit more flexible. It describes nouns that can refer to either a male or a female, depending on context. Words like "teacher," "doctor," or "student" fall into this category. Since the gender isn’t specified, the pronoun used depends on the actual person being described.

Finally, the neuter gender applies to things without life—objects, animals (when gender isn’t specified), or abstract concepts. Nouns like "book," "table," or "idea" take the pronoun it. Even when referring to pets, English often defaults to it unless the animal’s gender is known and emphasized.

While English doesn’t assign gender to nouns as rigidly as some other languages (like French or German), this grammatical framework still plays a subtle but important role in clarity and correct pronoun agreement. Understanding these four types—masculine, feminine, common, and neuter—helps speakers and writers use language more precisely, especially in formal or narrative contexts.