Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement A pronoun is a word used to stand for (or take the place of) a noun.pronounnoun An antecedent is a word for which a pronoun stands. (ante = "before") antecedent The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number.
Pronoun/Antecedent example Mr. Hanf presented Mr. Hanf’s grammar powerpoint. Do we talk or write this way? Of course not! We replace the noun Mr. Hanf's with a pronoun and say: Mr. Hanf presented his grammar powerpoint. The pronoun his refers to Mr. Hanf. That is the ANTECEDENT, and 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.
Pronouns Words that take the place of nouns: I memy, mine Youyouryours He, she, ithis, her, itshis, hers, its We ourours Theytheirtheirs
Antecedent The noun(s) that is replaced by the pronoun. George The car Sally and I George or John
A personal pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person, number, and gender. Person = first person, second person, third person Sarah went with HER mother. Sarah is third person singular – so is her. You would NOT say: Sarah went with she mother. Gender = male or female Sarah went with HER mother. Sarah is female and her is female. You would not say: Sarah went with his mother. Number = singular or plural Sarah went with HER mother. Sarah is singular and her is singular. You would not say: Sarah went with their mother.
Words between nouns Or or nor between two females = singular = her Jane or Amy will work on her homework. Or or nor between a male and female = singular = his or her. John or Amy will work on his or her homework. Or or nor between a male and a male = Singular = his John or Joe will work on his homework.
And between two words = plural Joe and Jane are working on their homework. If the sentence starts with a number or a part, that will be the antecedent of the pronoun. Everyone = singular Both = plural All = plural Each = singular Some = plural Only one = singular Neither = singular Either = singular