ACT PrepBasic Grammar/Pronoun & Pronoun Agreement!

© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

Usage - Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Here are nine pronoun-antecedent agreement rules.  These rules are related to the rules found in subject-verb agreement.

http://www.towson.edu/ows/pro_antagree.htm

Indefinite Pronouns

Anybody, each, either, everyone, neither, and one are ALWAYS Singular

Other indefinite pronouns likeAll, any, none, some… may be either singular or plural

Both, Few, Many and Several …are ALWAYS PLURAL.© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

Pronoun ambiguityWhat is the problem in the following sentences?

The Wolves and the Broncos played an intense game Saturday night. After beating them, they went to celebrate at a local restaurant.

Jenny and Samantha went to the mall for after Christmas sales, and in the chaos, she lost sight of her.

Pronoun antecedents must be clear, so how could you fix the sentences above?

[An antecedent is a word for which a pronoun stands.  (ante = "before") The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number.]© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

Pronoun AntecedentsA pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.

Can you spot the errors in these??

Example: If a student comes to class late, they are given a tardy.

Example: As one enters the halls of high school, they need direction.

Example: Everybody went to their next class. © 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

More problems to catch…

Susan is in the stands at the football game. She was cheering the team on.

Steve is at the auto parts store, but he wasn’t finding what he wanted.

When you’re fifteen ,and someone tells you they love you, you believe them.

© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

TIPS….Everybody, Anybody, Anyone, Each, Neither, Nobody, Someone, a person = SINGULAR pronouns

Don’t switch between 1st and 3rd person pronouns. See the problems here….?

You will be late for his class.

Steve is working hard on their homework.

One of the boys injured their foot.© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved

Pronoun AgreementCase Nominative

PossessiveObjective

Number SingularPlural

Point of View 1st

2nd

3rd

Pronouns must always agree in number with their antecedent (the noun it is replacing)

© 2004 - 2011  Clarkston High School / Ms. Yegge. All Rights Reserved