Rule #2 Noun-Pronoun Agreement

The Rule Singular subjects takes singular pronouns; plural subjects take plural pronouns. ***We frequently misuse subject/pronouns, so it’s difficult to recognize this rule.

Example Not one of the boys read their SAT study guide. subject: one (singular) Pronoun: their (plural) ***Boys is not a subject, it is an object.

Correction Not one of the boys read his SAT study guide.

Tip Ignore prepositional phrases when you’re trying to decipher the subject. SINGULAR SUBJECTSTO MEMORIZE:somebody eachonesomeone everyno oneanyone eithereveryoneanyone neithereverybodyanybody

Tip - Memorize There are also some pronouns that can go either way. Whether or not they take singular or plural pronoun depends on the the thing being referred back to. SANAManyall somenonemost

SANAM The criminal didn’t know that some of the webcams was on. ●Webcams is plural, so some is plural too, meaning the verb needs to change. The criminal didn’t know that some of the webcams were on.

SANAM All of the pizza have been eaten. ●Here, pizza is singular, so the verb should be singular. All of the pizza has been eaten.

On a sheet of notebook paper…. 1.Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring their permission form. 2.Each of the girls ate their lunch. 3.Would everyone who attended the meeting, please bring their tee shirt to the rally?

Answers 1.Everyone who went on the field trip was supposed to bring his permission form. a. You may use “their,” but you must then reconstruct the sentence. i. Students who went on the field trips were supposed to bring their permission form. 2.Each of the girls ate her lunch. 3.Would everyone who attended the meeting, please bring his tee shirt to the rally?

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