DANIEL PRESTONJULY 21, 2010

Pronouns and their Antecedents

Pronouns are words that refer to nouns. (I, he, it, she).

Antecedent is the name for the noun to which a pronoun refers.

Dr. Ava Betro finished her rounds. Pronoun her Antecedent Dr. Ava Betro

The hospital interns finished their rounds. Pronoun their Antecedent interns

Anybody Anyone Each Either Everybody Everyone Everything Neither No one Someone Something

As it is with subject-verb agreement, these pronouns should be treated as singular in formal English.

Plural pronouns should not refer to singular antecedents.

Everyone wants to rule their world. Identify the Pronoun:

Their Identify the antecedent

Everyone

In class everyone performs at their own fitness level. WRONG The singular indefinite pronoun everyone

(antecedent) requires a singular pronoun. In class everyone performs at his or her

own fitness level. RIGHT

When plural pronouns refer to a singular antecedent: Replace the pronoun with ‘he or she’ (or ‘his

or her’) Make the antecedent plural Rewrite the sentence.

Everyone wants to rule their world. Everyone wants to rule his or her

world. Ruling the world is something

everyone wants.

When someone has been drinking, they are likely to speed. When someone has been drinking, he or she is

likely to speed. When drivers have been drinking, they are

likely to speed. A driver who has been drinking is likely to

speed.

Represent typical members of groups (i.e. students, lawyers, teachers).

Although they may seem plural, treat each instance as a singular noun. Every runner must train rigorously if he or she

wants to excel.

Every lawyer cheats their clients out of money. Every lawyer cheats his or her clients out of

money. Some lawyers cheat clients out of money.

Treat most compound antecedents connected by ‘and’ as plural Jill and John moved to Luray, where they built

a cabin.

If compound antecedents are joined by either, or, neither or nor, make the pronoun agree with the nearer antecedent. This is particularly important when one part of the antecedent is singular and the other is plural. Neither Tom nor his brothers could find their

way home from the woods. ‘brothers’ is plural and closer to the pronoun in

question, therefore use the plural pronoun ‘their’ versus ‘his’.

If compound antecedents are joined by either, or, neither or nor, make the pronoun agree with the nearer antecedent except when the compound antecedent contains different genders. ‘Either Jack or Jill should win first prize for her

poem’. Picking a single gender here for the pronoun

would cause confusion. In these cases, the sentence should be rewritten. First place in the poetry competition should be

given to Jack or Jill.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch their pail of water. Correct

Either Jack or Jill went up the hill to fetch their pail of water. Either Jack or Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail

of water.