Using Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Indefinite pronouns
Compound antecedents
Solving special agreement problems
Collective nouns
Plural forms
Titles
Relative pronouns
Expressions of amount
Review A
Review B
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
You may have heard that it is rude
to point, but that’s exactly what
pronouns do.
A pronoun “points” to a noun or
another pronoun called its
antecedent.
Antecedent
Antecedent
Pronoun
Pronoun
Nicole
wasglad
gladthat
thatshe
shehad
hadbrought
broughther
her
camera.
Nicole was
camera.
When a pronoun and its antecedent do not agree,
listeners and readers become lost.
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Number
A pronoun should agree in both number and
gender with its antecedent.
A word that refers to one thing is singular.
A word that refers to more than one is plural.
Singular
Plural
lions
lion
noses
nose
they
she
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Number
Use singular pronouns to refer to singular
antecedents.
Singular
antecedent
Singular
pronoun
Break one egg
egg and
and fry
fry it.
it.
it.
Singular Personal Pronouns
I
me
my, mine
you
you
your, yours
he, she, it
him, her, it
his, hers, its
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Number
Use plural pronouns to refer to plural antecedents.
Plural
antecedent
Plural
pronoun
Cut two slices
slicesand
andtoast
toastthem.
them.
them.
Plural Personal Pronouns
we
us
our, ours
you
you
your, yours
they
them
their, theirs
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Gender
Some singular pronouns indicate gender.
• Masculine pronouns refer to males.
• Feminine pronouns refer to females.
• Neuter pronouns refer to places, things, ideas,
and animals.
Masculine
Feminine
Neuter
he
she
it
him
her
it
his
her, hers
its
himself
herself
itself
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Person
Person indicates whether a pronoun refers to
• the one(s) speaking
first person
I promised myself that I would clean my room.
• the one(s) spoken to
second person
Do you have your library card with you?
• the one(s) spoken about
third person
They built their new house themselves.
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
On Your Own
The following sentences contain errors in pronounantecedent agreement. Identify each error, and give the form
of the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.
1. Two girls won a prize for her project.
2. Although we drove through the mountains, we could not
see it because of the fog.
3. If he calls this afternoon, tell he that I’ll call back.
4. My cousin’s house has two fireplaces in them.
5. The children forgot to put on its jackets.
[End of Section]
Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to a person or thing
whose exact identity is unknown.
• Some indefinite pronouns are
singular.
• Some are plural.
• Some may be either singular
or plural depending on how
they are used.
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
anybody
either
neither
one
anyone
everybody
nobody
somebody
anything
everyone
no one
someone
each
everything
nothing
something
Everybody
One
Eachofofthe
the
on
women
birds
the boys’
had
waved
completed
team
to has
her his
children.
its nest.
racket.
Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns do not indicate gender. Often a
word in a phrase following the indefinite pronoun will
tell you the gender.
Each of the women runs her own business.
When you do not know the gender of the
antecedent, use both the masculine and feminine
pronouns connected by or.
No one remembered to bring his or her
permission slip.
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are plural:
Plural Indefinite Pronouns
both
few
many
several
Few of the passengers waited by themselves.
Both of the babies closed their eyes.
If many are cracked, discard them.
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns may be singular
or plural, depending on how they are used:
Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns
all
more
none
any
most
some
I deleted some of the document. Is there a way to
recover it?
Singular
I deleted some of the documents. Is there a way
to recover them?
Plural
Compound antecedents
A compound antecedent is two or
more antecedents joined by and or or.
• Use a plural pronoun to refer to two
or more antecedents joined by and.
Wind
and
Antecedent 1
Nina,
Antecedent 1
rain
unleashed their fury on the land.
Antecedent 2
Sandra, and
Antecedent 2
Maya taught themselves.
Antecedent 3
Compound antecedents
• Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more
singular antecedents joined by or or nor.
Craig
or
Singular
Neither
Kate
Singular
Keith
will bring his camera.
Singular
nor Ann said that she would help.
Singular
Indefinite pronouns and
compound antecedents
On Your Own
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns that do not
agree with their antecedents. If a pronoun does not agree
with its antecedent, provide the correct pronoun. If a
sentence is already correct, write C.
1. One of the boys brought their basketball.
2. Hilda and Lupe presented her reports.
3. Either the puppy or the kitten lost their collar.
4. Everyone should wash their own dishes after lunch.
5. All the students worked hard to improve themselves.
[End of Section]
Solving special agreement problems
Collective nouns
A collective noun may be either singular or plural,
depending on how the noun is used.
• Use a singular pronoun when the noun refers to
the group as a unit.
The tour group surprised its guide by
presenting her with a lovely thank-you gift.
• Use a plural pronoun when the noun refers to
parts of the group or to individual members.
The guide surprised the tour group by
presenting them with souvenirs.
Solving special agreement problems
Plural forms
Some nouns that are plural in form take singular
pronouns.
Plural Forms That Take Singular Verbs
civics
gymnastics
molasses
economics
linguistics
mumps
electronics
mathematics
news
genetics
measles
physics
There’s
I am taking
no more
physics
molasses
now, in
and
the
I find
jar. Did
it challenging.
you use it?
Solving special agreement problems
Plural forms
Some nouns that refer to single items take plural
verbs.
binoculars
pants
shears
eyeglasses
pliers
slacks
Olympics
scissors
trousers
Whenyou
the use
Olympics
were on
television,
did
After
my scissors,
please
put them
you watch
back
wherethem?
you found them.
Solving special agreement problems
Titles
Even when plural in form, these types of nouns
take singular pronouns.
• Titles of a creative work—books, songs,
movies, or paintings
Once I started watching Finders, I never missed an
episode of it.
• Names of countries, cities, or organizations
I don’t know the population of Grand Rapids, but it is
the second-largest city in Michigan.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars held its parade last
Saturday.
Solving special agreement problems
Relative pronouns
The gender and number of the relative pronoun
that, which, or who is determined by the word to
which the relative pronoun refers—its antecedent.
Enrique, who lives with his aunt and uncle, was
born in Puerto Rico.
1. The relative pronoun who refers to Enrique.
2. Enrique is a singular, masculine noun.
3. The relative pronoun who takes a singular,
masculine pronoun, his.
Solving special agreement problems
Expressions of amount
An expression of amount (a measurement,
percentage, or fraction) may be singular or plural,
depending on how it is used.
• Use a singular pronoun when the
amount is thought of as a unit.
The part costs fifty dollars, and I
don’t have it.
• Use a plural pronoun when the
amount is thought of as separate
items.
He had dropped two dollars, so I
picked them up for him.
Solving special agreement problems
Expressions of amount
A fraction or a percentage is
• singular when it refers to a singular word.
One quarter of the pizza is left.
Do you want to take it home?
• plural when it refers to a plural
word.
One quarter of the slices are left. Do you want to
take them home?
Solving special agreement problems
On Your Own
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns that do not agree
with their antecedents. If a pronoun does not agree with its
antecedent, provide the correct pronoun. If a sentence is already
correct, write C.
1. Did the Cub Scouts wear its hats during the ceremony?
2. The room, which had no decorations on their walls, looked very
bare.
3. The team needs to make a decision about their mascot.
4. Measure two thirds of a cup of flour, and add it one spoonful at a
time.
5. Locate the Netherlands on the map, and write the name of their
capital city.
[End of Section]
Review A
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns that agree
with their antecedents.
1. I enjoyed the movie, but ________ was too long.
2. Some of the members did not cast ________ votes yet.
3. Everyone in the class brought _________ notebook.
4. The woman, who was walking ________ dogs in the park,
asked to use my cell phone.
5. Either Brian or Charles will read _______ report first.
Review B
The following sentences contain errors in pronounantecedent agreement. Identify each error, and give the
form of the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.
1. If any of the oranges are left, please put it away.
2. The League of Women Voters will sponsor their annual
debate for the candidates next week.
3. Mike bent the pliers and wasn’t able to straighten it.
4. One third of the field doesn’t have any crops planted in
them.
5. Does anyone still need their locker combination?
[End of Section]
The End