Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

The Rule: Pronoun & Antecedent must agree in person (1 st, 2 nd, or 3 rd ), number (plurality), and gender (male/female). What is a pronoun? substitute for a noun - (he, she, it, they, we, us, him, her, you, I, me, etc.) What is an antecedent? what the pronoun is referring to EX: Mary picked up the book and dropped it on the floor.

For instance: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of the game. Person: This sentence is incorrect because “a person” is 3 rd person and the pronoun “you” is 2 nd person. Number: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, they have to know the rules of the game This sentence is incorrect because “anybody” singular and “they” is a plural. Gender: If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, he has to know the rules of the game This sentence is incorrect because “person” is neutral in gender and “he” is masculine.

To check for pronoun antecedent agreement, consciously seek the pronoun and then find its antecedent. 1. The cow twitched its tail at the fly. 2. My aunt asked me to catch her dog. 3. The audience clapped its hands. 4. The hostages have been free for months, but some have not yet recovered from the experience. 5. During winter snowstorms, the sparrows depend on our feeder for their food.

Easy enough? Good! But the SATs are evil and try to trick you. Here’s how: Trick #1: Sometimes they separate the pronoun from the antecedent by using prepositional phrases &/or appositives. EX: Everyone at the bridal shower in the Poconos last weekend, though low on cash from the expense of the trip, brought their gift for the bride-to-be. INCORRECT:

Trick #2: Sometimes the pronoun is used unclearly with no well-defined antecedent. EX: The student used her pen to write in her notebook; then she put it away. Did she put away the pen or the notebook? INCORRECT EX: Ed Blaker promoted Bill this morning; he will go on the Washington trip next week. Who will go on to the Washington trip next week, Ed or Bill? EX: It says in chapter three that Melinda and her mother do not get along. Who is it referring to?

Trick #3: There are many singular pronouns that seem plural and plural pronouns that seem singular. MEMORIZE WHICH ARE WHICH! Singular Pronouns Each Everyone Everybody Anyone Anybody No one Nobody Neither That Some Many Both All Few Several Those Plural Pronouns

Now you try! Either fill in the blank with the correct pronoun, correct the pronoun antecedent agreement error, or write “C” to indicate that the sentence is correct as is. 1. Anyone can get their name in the news. 2. The family has ___ eye on a new house. 3.A person should insure their valuables. 4. The senior class wore ___ rings proudly. 5. All are welcome: You just need to call for directions to the party. 6. Sally and I got our nursing degree at Montclair State University. It was easy for us to obtain.