Name: ______PRONOUNS English 9

Taken from Dr. Wheeler’s website: Carmen-Newman University In most cases, it is clear whether a pronoun's antecedent is singular or plural. For instance, the word girls is plural, so it needs a plural pronoun like they or them or their. On the other hand, the word girl is singular, so it clearly needs a singular pronoun like she or her. But what about indefinite pronouns--such as all, any, both, each, every, few, many, neither, nobody, and none? They do not refer to a specific, definite person. Thus they are called "indefinite pronouns." The indefinite pronouns are a bit trickier than relative pronouns. To know which form to use (singular or plural), you need to memorize the following lists. ALWAYS SINGULAR ALWAYS PLURAL - Each - Something - Both - Anybody - Everything - Several - Somebody - Anything - Few - Nobody - Nothing - Many - Everybody - Either - All - One - Neither - Anyone - Someone - Everyone

Use the list above to help you circle the pronoun that correctly matches its antecedent.

1. Neither Mary nor Laura has turned in (her, their) report.

2. Anybody can learn to set up (his, their) own tent.

3. Each of the boys takes care of (his, their) own room.

4. Neither Tom nor Jim can give (his, their) report today.

5. Anyone can join our group if (he, they) is really interested.

6. The team can't play (its, their) best when it's too hot.

7. Either Bill or Tony will lend you (his, their) book.

8. Everyone should do (his, their) best work on the project.

9. George wants to go into politics; he finds (it, them) exciting.

10. Everyone should be in (his, their) seat before the curtain goes up. 11. Some of the team are wearing (his, their) new helmets.

12. Every class officer will do (her, their) best.

13. I find that playing bridge is hard on (my, your) nerves.

14. Some of the vanilla has lost (its, their) flavor.

15. Everybody will receive (his, their) scores in the mail.

Write an A over the antecedent for the pronoun choice in parentheses, then write S or P next to the number of the sentence to indicate singular or plural. Finally, circle the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.

____ 1. A reporter talked to Mrs. Bea Zwack after (her, their) home was struck by a tornado.

____ 2. Jack Zwack spent most of (his, their) time cleaning up the yard.

____ 3. Nick, Mack, and Patty Zwack are staying with (his or her, their) neighbors for the time being.

____ 4. The Zwacks now have a healthy respect for tornadoes and (its, their) power.

____ 5. The reporter finally submitted (her, their) assignment to the editor of the paper.

____ 6. The newspaper featured tornadoes on (its, their) front page.

____ 7. Subscribers that read the story realize that (he or she, they) could have been the victims of the storm.

____ 8. A mature person is responsible for (his or her, their) actions.

____ 9. The detective told (his or her, their) chief that (he or she, they) had caught the criminal.

____ 10. Each of the Olympic champions proudly wore (his, their) medal.