Pronoun/ Antecedent Agreement

Review: What’s a Pronoun? A pronoun is a word used to stand for (or take the place of) a noun. A word can refer to an earlier noun or pronoun in the sentence.         Example:                    We do not talk or write this way.  Automatically, we replace the noun Lincoln's with a pronoun.  More naturally, we say                     

What’s an Antecedent? The pronoun his refers back to President Lincoln.  President Lincoln is the ANTECEDENT for the pronoun his.  An antecedent is a word for which a pronoun stands.  (ante = "before") The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number. Rule: A singular pronoun must replace a singular noun; a plural pronoun must replace a plural noun.                 

Rule #1 A phrase or clause between the subject and verb does not change the number of the antecedent.             Example:                     

Rule #2 Singular indefinite pronoun antecedents take singular pronoun referents.

Rule #3  Compound subjects joined by and always take a plural referent.                     Example:                          

Rule #4  With compound subjects joined by or/nor, the referent pronoun agrees with the antecedent closer to the pronoun.                      Example #1 (plural antecedent closer to pronoun):                                             Example #2 (singular antecedent closer to pronoun):

Rule #5 Collective Nouns  (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) are singular.