Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?

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Pronoun-antecedent agreement refers to the grammatical rule that a pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent (the noun it replaces).

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What is an antecedent?

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An antecedent is the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to or replaces in a sentence.

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When should you use a singular pronoun?

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Use a singular pronoun when the antecedent is singular, such as 'Each student must submit his or her assignment.'

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When should you use a plural pronoun?

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Use a plural pronoun when the antecedent is plural, such as 'All students must submit their assignments.'

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What is the rule for using 'neither/nor' with pronouns?

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When using 'neither/nor,' the pronoun should agree with the nearest antecedent. For example, 'Neither Mary nor Laura has turned in her report.'

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What is the rule for using 'either/or' with pronouns?

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Similar to 'neither/nor,' when using 'either/or,' the pronoun should agree with the nearest antecedent. For example, 'Either the teacher or the students will present their project.'

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How do collective nouns affect pronoun agreement?

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Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on whether the group acts as a single unit or as individuals. For example, 'The team has its uniforms' (singular) vs. 'The team are wearing their uniforms' (plural).

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What is the difference between 'his or her' and 'their'?

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'His or her' is used for singular antecedents, while 'their' can be used for plural antecedents or as a singular gender-neutral pronoun.

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What is a common error in pronoun-antecedent agreement?

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A common error is using a plural pronoun with a singular antecedent, such as 'Each of the boys took their book' instead of 'his book.'

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What is the correct pronoun for 'Each of the students'?

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The correct pronoun is 'his' or 'her,' as in 'Each of the students is prepared to give his or her speech.'