Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement A common error writers make is pronoun-antecedent disagreement; meaning, the pronoun doesn’t match (agree) with the noun it refers to (the antecedent). Much like subject-verb agreement, pronoun-antecedent agreement requires singular pronouns to align with singular antecedents and plural pronouns to match plural antecedents. Also like subject-verb agreement, there are a few situations that can make pronoun-antecedent more problematic for writers. Basic Examples: The students turned in their assignments on time. (Plural antecedent and plural pronoun) The student turned in all his/her assignments on time. (Singular antecedent and singular pronoun) Michael and Emily turned in their assignments on time. (Compound antecedent and plural pronoun) Indefinite Pronouns: When an indefinite pronoun is the antecedent of a sentence, it is usually treated as a singular antecedent and requires a singular pronoun. Someone has eaten all the food in the house and left his or her crumbs on the table. One of the girls has lost her earing. Some exceptions: Academic Support Center * ASC 603 * 856-681-6250 * rcgc.edu/asc Both, few, many, other, and several are always plural antecedents. Both of my brothers love their cars. All, any, more, most, none, and some can be singular or plural, depending on the context of the sentence. Some of the students turned in their assignments on time. Some of the assignment is complete, but its final three paragraphs are missing. Collective Nouns: Collective nouns are usually considered singular. The class took its lessons seriously. The band played its most popular song. The jury returned with its verdict. The committee wrote its laws and bi-laws. Follow these explanations and examples to correct pronoun-antecedent disagreement in your writing. Academic Support Center * ASC 603 * 856-681-6250 * rcgc.edu/asc .

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PRONOUNS Are Words That Take the Place of Or Refer to Nouns Or Other Pronouns
WHAT ARE PRONOUNS ... and what do they do? PRONOUNS are words that take the place of or refer to nouns or other pronouns. Pronouns function in a sentence the same way that nouns do. Using pronouns effectively allows the maintenance of a smooth flow of ideas without the unnecessary repetition of nouns. The word a pronoun refers to is known as its antecedent. • A pronoun must agree in number and person with the word it replaces - its antecedent. Ifthe word a pronoun refers to is singular, the pronoun must be singular; if that word is plural, the pronoun must be plural. Example: Marie showed me the new English china she had just purchased. Students enrolled in the art class must provide their own supplies. When Tom couldn't find his shirt, he asked his wife where it was. The three sisters wanted to change the name of their restaurant to The Sisters Three. • A pronoun must refer clearly to the word it replaces. A sentence may be confusing and unclear ifa pronoun appears to refer to more than one word, or if the pronoun does not refer to any specific word. Avoid vague and confusing pronoun reference. Be especially careful when using the pronouns they and it. If they or it do not reflect a specific antecedent, change the pronoun to the exact word that you have in mind. Incorrect: Susan's mother wondered ifshe was tall enough to be a model. Correct: Susan's mother wondered if Susan was tall enough.. to be a model. Incorrect: Joe dropped out of high school because he felt they stressed discipline too much.
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