Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

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PronounsANTECEDENTS

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A Pronoun is like a…………………..

Pronouns stand in for nouns or noun-phrases. So, like a good __________, a pronoun needs to have similar qualities to what it represents. This is known as the antecedent.

Antecedent pronoun

A pronoun is like a stunt doublePronouns stand in for nouns or noun-phrases. So, like a good stunt double, the pronoun needs to have similar qualities to what it represents. This is known as the antecedent.

Antecedent pronoun

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Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in three ways:

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number

numberperson

gender

Gender

Pronouns need to match their antecedent.

You wouldn’t say “Edward Cullen got her car washed.” Or,“Sometimes my girlfriend lets me use its computer.”

Masculine Feminine Neuter

He, him, his She, her, hers

It, its, his or her

Number

Pronouns need to match their antecedent in being singular or plural. This agreement is often a problem when dealing with compound antecedents.

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Number

Rule 1: Use a singular pronoun when there are two singular antecedents separated by or or nor.

Example: Either Carl or Frederique will bring his book to school today.

Number:

Rule 2: Use a Plural pronoun when the antecedents are connected by and.

Example:Jon and I are eating our lunches early because We are extremely hungry.

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Number Rule 3: If either of the antecedents separated by or or nor is plural, then the pronoun should be plural.

Example: Neither Carla nor Carla’s parents will be using their car for a while

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PersonThis error is usually easy to hear, but make sure that the pronoun is in the same person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) to match the antecedent.

Incorrect:Hedrick is getting ready so you look tough at the dance party.

PersonThis error is usually easy to hear, but make sure that the pronoun is in the same person (1st,2nd, or 3rd) to match the antecedent.

Third personSecond person

Third person Second person

This sentence means that by getting ready, Hedrick makes other people look tough.

PersonThis error usually easy to hear, but make sure that the pronoun is in the same person (1st,2nd, or 3rd) to match the antecedent.

Is this Hedrick?

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Correct:Hedrick is getting ready so he looks tough at the dance party.

There’s Hedrick!

Fatal Mistake!

Using their as a singular pronoun is always wrong! The following sentences are incorrect uses of their :

• The guy at the door was knocking until their knuckles hurt.

• In 1950 a break-dancer would use their skills very differently from break-dancers today.

• Each plumber has their own tools.

Fatal Mistake!

Using their as a singular pronoun is always wrong! The following sentences are incorrect uses of their:• The guy at the door was knocking until his

knuckles hurt.• In 1950 a break-dancer would use their skills

very differently from break-dancers today.• Each plumber has their own tools.

Fatal Mistake!

knuckles hurt.• A break-dancer in the 1970’s would use his or

her skills very differently from break-dancers today.

• Each plumber has their own tools.

Fatal Mistake!

knuckles hurt.• A break-dancer in the 1970’s would use his or

her skills very differently from break-dancers today.

• Each plumber has his or her own tools.

Agreement with indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns can change the number of the antecedent.Example:

The football players left their shoes at home.

plural

Correct!

Each of the football players left their shoes at home.

plural

Correct!

Each of the football players left their shoes at home.

plural

singular plural

Correct!

Incorrect!

Each of the football players left his shoes at home.

plural

singular singular

Correct!

Indefinite Pronouns

• Examples of singular indefinite pronouns: each, either, one

• Examples of plural indefinite pronouns: all, many, several

• Could be singular or plural: some.

Singular

Some of the wall had lost its color.

Plural

Some of the people started to move their bodies to the music.

Indefinite Pronouns

Everyone versus Every One

The pronoun everyone may be replaced by everybody. It is used to refer to all the people in a group and is singular.

Everyone is to turn in his or her permission slip on Monday.

Everyone on list list has contributed to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois.

Indefinite Pronouns

Written as two words, every one refers to each individual who makes up a group and means each person and is therefore singular.

Every one is usually used with prepositional phrase: every one of ----. Even in this construction, this phrase means one person within the group and the pronoun one is singular.

• Every one of the singers wants to have a solo.• Every one of the employees expects a bonus at

Christmas.

Reflexive PronounsRule: only use a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself) if the pronoun refers to a person already mentioned earlier in the sentence.Example Incorrect:

The hovercraft was built by Lenny and myself.

Reflexive PronounsRule: only use a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself) if the pronoun refers to a person already mentioned earlier in the sentence.

Example Incorrect:The hovercraft was built by Lenny and myself.

Refers to no one earlier in the sentence

Reflexive PronounsRule: only use a reflexive pronoun (myself, yourself, himself, herself) if the pronoun refers to a person already mentioned earlier in the sentence.Example Correct:The hovercraft was built by Lenny and me.

Example Correct:I just completed the whole project by myself.(myself refers to I)

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PronounAntecedent

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

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