1. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
TONIGHT’S HOMEWORK
Complete revision of comparison-contrast essay (submit second draft on Canvas before class and bring TWO printouts);
be­gin Grammar #10 (pronoun-antecedent agreement), due next Tuesday, April 18, on Canvas; AND
read LBCH sections 16 (pp )

2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Essential vs. Nonessential Clauses
(LBCH pp )

3. replace nouns (or other pronouns) so you do not have to repeat them.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
Pronouns
replace nouns (or other pronouns) so you do not have to repeat them.
Antecedent
the word that a pronoun replaces
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4. A pronoun must AGREE with its antecedent (just like a subject and verb agree). Singular antecedent singular pronoun Plural antecedent plural pronoun
0 or 1
2 or more
(LBCH pp )
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5. Keep pronouns consistent
Keep pronouns consistent. Do not switch among first-, second-, and third-person (I, we, you, he or she, they) without reason. When the caller presses 1, you get a recording. I work at the mall, and during the holidays, you can’t find parking.
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6. RED FLAG #1: Agreement with indefinite pronouns = not specific
Most indefinite pronouns are either always singular or always plural.
HINT: -one / -body / -thing = singular
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7. Singular indefinite pronouns
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
Plural indefinite pronouns
both few many several
Singular indefinite pronouns
someone anyone no one everyone
somebody anybody nobody everybody
something anything nothing everything
each either neither
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8. However, the indefinite pronouns
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
However, the indefinite pronouns
all
most
some
can be singular or plural.
HINT: Look at the object of the prepositional phrase that follows. (most of the workers = plural; most of the salt = singular)
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9. Pronoun agreement with indefinite pronouns
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
Pronoun agreement with indefinite pronouns
A singular pronoun requires a singular verb (-s ending) and a singular pronoun.
Someone has lost his or her books.
A plural pronoun requires a plural verb (no -s ending) and a plural pronoun.
Many have lost their books.
Everybody fails Ms. Bielecki’s tests unless he or she studies.
Few survive to tell their tales of addiction to methamphetamines.
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10. RED FLAG #2: Agreement with collective nouns A collective noun names a group that acts as a single unit, so use the pronoun “it.”
audience band class
college committee company
couple* crowd family
government group jury
office party society
staff team union
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11. Collective nouns
The band played its biggest hit at the end of the concert. (acting as a unit) The team won the last three games of its season. (acting as a unit) HINT: There’s no “I” in “team.”
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12. RED FLAG #3: Case and Agreement with Relative Pronouns: that, which, who, whom, whose
Relative pronouns agree with their ante-cedents not in terms of number (singular or plural) or gender (male or female) but in terms of human or nonhuman:
Who, whom, and whose refer to humans.
That and which refer to nonhumans (animals and things).
(LBCH pp )

13. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
CASE: Who vs. Whom “Who” (like “he”) is always a subject; use this form when it performs an action. “Whom” (like “him”) is always an object; use this form when it does not perform an action.

14. “WHO” vs. “WHOM” HINT: next major word = VERB → who next major word = NOUN or PRONOUN → whom The person (who, whom) spoke was boring. The person (who, whom) we met was boring.

15. That (essential) vs. Which (nonessential)
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
That (essential) vs. Which (nonessential)
“That” usually gets NO commas (phrase is necessary to the sentence): The cat that I feed every day is a gray tabby with white paws.
“Which” usually gets commas (phrase is not necessary): My cat, which I feed every day, is a gray tabby with white paws.

16. “THAT” vs. “WHICH” HINT:
To decide between “that” and “which” on a multiple-choice test, LOOK FOR COMMAS. A “that” clause gets no commas because it is essential; a “which” clause gets commas because it is not essential. Commas separate things that are not important or essential.

17. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
Examples
Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, was our third president.
Thomas Jefferson, whom I studied last year, was our third president.
Thomas Jefferson, whose home is called Monticello, was our third president.
The university that she attends has expensive tuition.
The University of Tampa, which she attends, has expensive tuition.

18. Ask yourself two questions:
Who, whom, that, and which
Ask yourself two questions:
1. Human or non-human?
2. What is the next word?
2. Does the phrase have commas?
verb who
noun or pronoun whom
yes which
no that

19. Grammar #10: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Complete the full exercise online before the deadline.
The boys’ basketball team will play ____ best in the next game. A. their B. its C. his D. his or her
All of the players on the boys’ basketball team always play __________ best. A. their B. its C. his D. his or her
Susie told her mom that nobody will be wearing ________ club T-shirt to the game. A. their B. its C. his D. his or her
Many buildings have security desks in ___________ lobbies. A. their B. its C. his D. his or her
Our softball team will let anybody who has ___ own glove play. A. their B. its C. his D. his or her