Pronouns

Pronouns & Pronoun- Antecedent Agreement

What is a pronoun?

a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you ) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this ).

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Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

• Pronouns need to agree with their antecedents in gender (male, female, neuter, etc.), and number(singular, plural)

• If this agreement is incorrect, it makes your writing confusing.

• EX A/ The grandmother and the child warmed up _____ tea. (her, their, them)

• EX B/ Neither the grandmother nor the child wants ___ tea served hot. (his, her, their)

• _{Answers: A their, B her}

Unclear pronouns...

Always make it clear to whom or what your pronouns refer.

The grandmother spoke to the child and then she walked away.

Who walked away?

Correct options:

The grandmother spoke to the child and then walked away. (grandmother walked away)

The grandmother spoke to the child, who then walked away. (child walked away)

Let's Practice...

Multiple Choice

Read and answer the questions:

[1] “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and child who is drinking tea. [2] The family makes tea on their stove on a rainy day. [3] The grandmother and the child wants her tea with milk. [4] The child asked the grandmother for its crayon. [5] The grandmother and the child checks the almanac and listens to the rain on their roof.

• no change

• “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and child who drinks tea.

• “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother or a child who are drinking tea.

• “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and a child who are drinking tea.

Multiple Choice

[1] “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and child who is drinking tea. [2] The family makes tea on their stove on a rainy day. [3] The grandmother and the child wants her tea with milk. [4] The child asked the grandmother for its crayon. [5] The grandmother and the child checks the almanac and listens to the rain on their roof.

• No change

• The family makes tea on her stove on a rainy day.

• The family makes tea on their stove on a rainy day.

• The family make tea on its stove on a rainy day.

Multiple Choice

[1] “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and child who is drinking tea. [2] The family makes tea on their stove on a rainy day. [3] The grandmother and the child wants her tea with milk. [4] The child asked the grandmother for its crayon. [5] The grandmother and the child checks the almanac and listens to the rain on their roof.

• NO CHANGE

• The grandmother or the child wants their tea with milk.

• The grandmother and the child wants her tea with milk.

• The grandmother and the child want their tea with milk.

Multiple Choice

[1] “Sestina” is a poem about a grandmother and child who is drinking tea. [2] The family makes tea on their stove on a rainy day. [3] The grandmother and the child wants her tea with milk. [4] The child asked the grandmother for its crayon. [5] The grandmother and the child checks the almanac and listens to the rain on their roof.

• NO CHANGE

• The child asked the grandmother for her crayon.

• The child asked the grandmother for their crayon.

• d. The child asked it for her crayon.