The third-person singular forms are differentiated according to the sex of the referent. For example, "she" is used to refer to a female person, sometimes a female animal, and sometimes an object to which female characteristics are attributed, such as a ship or a country. A male person, and sometimes a male animal, is referred to using "he". In other cases "it" can be used. (See Gender in English.) The word "it" can also be used as a dummy subject, in sentences like "It is going to be sunny this afternoon".