Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement
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THE NOUN OR PRONOUN THAT A PRONOUN
REFERS TO IS CALLED ITS
ANTECEDENT
Agreement of Pronoun and
Antecedent
A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with
its antecedent
Use singular pronouns to refer to singular antecedents.
Use plural pronouns to refer to plural antecedents.
SINGULAR-
Richard Strauss
composed many
operas.
Der Rosenkavalier
is perhaps
his
most
famous.
PLURAL- The mountain
climbers
believe that
they
will reach the summit by Friday
.
Some singular pronouns indicate gender
(masculine, feminine or neuter)
EXAMPLES:
Does
Margaret
like
her
dance class?
Michael
is doing
his
homework.
Because the
car
wouldn’t start,
it
had to be towed.
Indefinite Pronouns
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS AGREE WITH THEIR
ANTECEDENTS ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING
RULES.
1.
The indefinite pronouns
anybody, anyone, anything, each,
either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one,
nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something a
re singular.
examples:
Each
of the teams had
its
mascot at the game.
One
of the boys left
his
pen behind.
Everybody
in the girls’ league has paid
her
dues.
The indefinite pronouns
both, few, many,
and se
veral
are plural.
Examples:
Both
of the candidates clearly stated
their
positions on
the issue.
Many
of the actors already knew
their
lines.
The indefinite pronouns
all, any, more, most ,none, and some
may
be singular or plural, depending on how they are used in a
sentence.
Examples:
Most
of this money belongs to Ms. Jones. Would you take
it
to her please? (
It
is used because
most
refers to the singular
noun
money
.)
Most
of these coins are rare, but I don’t know what
they
are
worth. (
They
is used because
most
refers to the plural noun
coins.)
Compound Antecedents
Pronouns agree with compound antecedents according to the
following rules.
1.
Use a plural noun to refer to two or more antecedents
joined by
and
.
Example: The
guide
and the
ranger
wrapped
their
rain
ponchos in
their
saddle rolls.
2.
Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular
antecedents joined by
or
or
nor
Example: Neither Heidi nor Beth took
her
umbrella with
her
.
Special Problems in Pronoun-
Antecedent Agreement
A collective noun is singular when the noun refers to the
group as a unit and plural when the noun refers to the
individual members or parts of the group.
SINGULAR-
The
orchestra
was looking forward to performing
its
rendition of Beethoven’s symphony.
PLURAL-
The
orchestra
were tuning
their
instruments when
the conductor arrived.
An expression of an amount (a measurement , a percentage, or a
fraction, for example) may take a singular or plural pronoun,
depending on how it is used.
Some nouns that are plural in form take singular pronouns (
civics,
genetics, mathematics, mumps, news, gymnastics, measles,
electronics)
Even when plural in form, the title of a creative work (such as a
book, song, movie, or painting) or the name of a country, a city, or
an organization generally takes a singular pronoun.
Learn about the agreement between pronouns and their antecedents, including rules for singular and plural pronouns, gender-specific pronouns, indefinite pronouns, and compound antecedents. Ensure proper alignment to avoid grammatical errors.
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Presentation Transcript
Agreement of Pronoun and Antecedent THE NOUN OR PRONOUN THAT A PRONOUN REFERS TO IS CALLED ITS ANTECEDENT
A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its antecedent Use singular pronouns to refer to singular antecedents. Use plural pronouns to refer to plural antecedents. SINGULAR- Richard Strauss composed many operas. Der Rosenkavalier is perhaps his most famous. PLURAL-The mountain climbers believe that they will reach the summit by Friday.
Some singular pronouns indicate gender (masculine, feminine or neuter) EXAMPLES: Does Margaret like her dance class? Michael is doing his homework. Because the car wouldn t start, it had to be towed.
Indefinite Pronouns INDEFINITE PRONOUNS AGREE WITH THEIR ANTECEDENTS ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING RULES. The indefinite pronouns anybody, anyone, anything, each, either, everybody, everyone, everything, neither, nobody, no one, nothing, one, somebody, someone, and something are singular. examples: Each of the teams had its mascot at the game. One of the boys left his pen behind. Everybody in the girls league has paid her dues. 1.
The indefinite pronouns both, few, many, and several are plural. Examples: Both of the candidates clearly stated their positions on the issue. Many of the actors already knew their lines.
The indefinite pronouns all, any, more, most ,none, and some may be singular or plural, depending on how they are used in a sentence. Examples: Most of this money belongs to Ms. Jones. Would you take it to her please? (It is used because most refers to the singular noun money.) Most of these coins are rare, but I don t know what they are worth. (They is used because most refers to the plural noun coins.)
Compound Antecedents Pronouns agree with compound antecedents according to the following rules. Use a plural noun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by and. Example: The guide and the ranger wrapped their rain ponchos in their saddle rolls. 2. Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor Example: Neither Heidi nor Beth took her umbrella with her. 1.
Special Problems in Pronoun- Antecedent Agreement A collective noun is singular when the noun refers to the group as a unit and plural when the noun refers to the individual members or parts of the group. SINGULAR- The orchestra was looking forward to performing its rendition of Beethoven s symphony. PLURAL-The orchestra were tuning their instruments when the conductor arrived.
An expression of an amount (a measurement , a percentage, or a fraction, for example) may take a singular or plural pronoun, depending on how it is used. Some nouns that are plural in form take singular pronouns (civics, genetics, mathematics, mumps, news, gymnastics, measles, electronics) Even when plural in form, the title of a creative work (such as a book, song, movie, or painting) or the name of a country, a city, or an organization generally takes a singular pronoun.
