Mastering Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

This tutorial explains pronoun and antecedent agreement, highlighting how pronouns refer to antecedents, which can be nouns or noun phrases. It covers examples of antecedent placement, agreement in number and gender, and the use of singular and plural pronouns. The tutorial also discusses pronoun use with collective nouns, emphasizing the importance of context in determining whether to use singular or plural pronouns.

What is an antecedent in the context of pronoun agreement?

• A word or words that a pronoun refers to

• A dependent clause

• A word that comes after a pronoun

• A type of verb

In the sentence 'When you see the teacher, please tell her I’ll be 10 minutes late to class,' what is the antecedent of 'her'?

• Teacher

• Minutes

• You

• Class

Which of the following sentences correctly shows an antecedent coming after its pronoun?

• When you see her, please tell the teacher I’ll be 10 minutes late to class.

• The teacher will be late to class.

• Please tell her I’ll be 10 minutes late to class.

• The teacher is late.

In the sentence 'The can of beans sits on its shelf,' which word is the subject?

• Sits

• Can

• Shelf

• Beans

Which pronoun should replace the singular subject 'can' in the sentence 'The can of beans sits on its shelf'?

• Her

• His

• Its

• Their

Which of the following antecedents requires a singular pronoun?

• Everyone

• People

• Children

• Dogs

In the sentence 'Each of the boys has his own savings account,' what is the correct pronoun to replace 'each'?

• Their

• His

• Her

• Its

Which of the following sentences correctly uses a singular pronoun for a singular antecedent?

• The dogs found their way home.

• All of the students did their homework.

• Each of the girls has her own room.

• Everybody brought their books.

In the sentence 'The cast is having its picture taken,' why is 'its' used?

• Because 'cast' is considered a singular group

• Because 'cast' is plural

• Because 'cast' refers to multiple people

• Because 'cast' is a verb

Which sentence correctly uses a plural pronoun for a collective noun?

• The team is winning its game.

• The family is having its dinner.

• The committee gave its report.

• The cast quickly took their places on stage.