Pronoun Antecedent
Agreement
What is a Pronoun?
• A pronoun is a substitute for a noun.
• It refers to a person, place, thing, feeling, or quality but
does not refer to it by its name.
– Mrs. Gessel gives too much homework. John
wishes John could talk to Mrs. Gessel about
the pressure John feels. John hates Mrs.
Gessel’s class.
– Mrs. Gessel gives too much homework. I
wish I could talk to her about the pressure I
feel. I hate her class.
What is an Antecedent?
• An antecedent is the word, phrase, or clause to
which a pronoun refers, understood by the
context.
– Mrs. Gessel gives too much homework. I wish I
could talk to her about the pressure I feel. I hate
her class.
Agreement
• A pronoun must agree with its
antecedent in three ways:
– Person refers to first, second, or third person.
– Number distinguishes between singular and
plural.
– Gender distinguishes masculine or feminine.
Steps for Determining
Antecedent Agreement
1. Identify the pronoun.
2. Decide to whom or to what this pronoun refers
or what it replaces--the antecedent.
3. Identify the person, gender, and number of the
referenced pronoun.
4. Determine if the person, gender, and number
are the same for the pronoun and the
antecedent.
1. If they are, you have agreement.
2. If they are not the same, you have a correction to
make.
For Example:
1. Diversity training is a positive experience if
it is well planned.
2. The e-mail that we received from an
employee named Chris explained the
problem that he or she wanted us to solve.
3. New York and New Jersey allow their state
employees ten holidays a year.
4. Neither Teresa nor her assistants were
aware of their negative attitudes.
BASIC RULES
Rule #1
1. A phrase or clause between the subject and
verb does not change the number of the
antecedent:
 The can of lima beans sits on its
shelf.
Rule #2: Singular indefinite pronoun
antecedents take singular pronouns.
• Indefinite Pronoun
Antecedents
Indefinite Pronouns
Always Singular
another
anybody
anyone
anything
each
each one
either
enough
every
everybody
everyone
everything
many a
much
neither
no one
nobody
nothing
one
other
somebody
someone
something
Rule #2: Plural indefinite pronoun
antecedents require plural referents.
Indefinite Pronoun
Antecedents
Always Plural
both
others
few
several
many
Singular or Plural
all more none
any most some
Examples:
• Each of the clerks does a good deal of
work around his or her office.
• Both do a good job in their office
• Some indefinite pronouns that are modified
by a prepositional phrase may be either
singular or plural.
– Some of the sugar fell out of its bag.
– All of the jewelry has lost its glow.
Rule #3
• Compound subjects joined by and always
take a plural referent.
– Jones and Smith made their presentation.
Rule #4
• With compound subjects joined by or/nor,
the referent pronoun agrees with the
antecedent closer to the pronoun.
– Neither the director nor the actors did their jobs.
– Neither the actors nor the director did his or her
job.
•
Example #1, with the plural antecedent closer to the
pronoun, creates a smoother sentence than example
#2, which forces the use of the singular "his or her."
Rule #5
• Collective Nouns may be singular
or plural, depending on meaning.
– Family, group, jury, crowd, team, etc.
• Examples:
– The jury read its verdict.
•
The jury is acting as one unit; therefore, the referent
pronoun is singular.
– The jury gave their individual opinions.
•
The jury members are acting as twelve individuals;
therefore, the referent pronoun is plural.
Rule #6
• Titles of single entities take a singular
referent.
– Books, organizations, countries, etc.
– The Grapes of Wrath made its characters seem
real.
– The United States cherishes its democracy.
Rule #7
• Plural form subjects with a singular meaning
take a singular referent.
– News, measles, mumps, physics, etc.
– The news has lost much of its sting.
Rule #8
• Every or Many a before a noun or a series of
nouns requires a singular referent.
– Every cow, pig, and horse had lost its life in the
fire.
– Many a girl wishes she could dance.
Rule #9:
The number of vs A number of
before a subject:
• The number of is singular.
– The number of volunteers increases its ranks
daily.
• A number of is plural.
– A number of volunteers are offering their help.
LET’S PRACTICE!!
1.
A. One of the students must give their oral
report tomorrow.
B. One of the students must give his oral report
tomorrow.
2.
A. Everybody was hoping to have his lottery
number picked.
B. Everybody was hoping to have their lottery
number picked.
3.
A. If anyone doesn't like the music I'm playing,
they can go somewhere else.
B. If anyone doesn't like the music I'm playing,
he or she can go somewhere else.
4.
A. Each member of the committee must submit
their response in writing.
B. Each member of the committee must submit
his response in writing.
5.
A. Neither of the girls knew that her teacher
had seen the police report.
B. Neither of the girls knew that their teacher
had seen the police report.
6.
A. Either of the boys may take his seat in the
front of the room.
B. Either of the boys may take their seat in the
front of the room.
7.
A. The group has its meeting here.
B. The group has their meeting here.
C. The group has it’s meeting here.
8.
A. The senior class wore its rings proudly.
B. The senior class wore their rings proudly.
C. The senior class wore his or her rings proudly.
9.
A. Children never realize how loud he or she can
be.
B. Children never realize how loud they can be.
10. Select all the correct sentences.
A. One of my friends must bring their tapes to the
party.
B. Everyone should take his work seriously.
C. Since it was cold and windy, the boys had to
wear his caps.
D. Sara and Jen had to finish their homework before
they could go to the movies.
E. In the first-day confusion, neither of
the teachers could find his classroom.