An antecedent is the word or group of words to which a personal pronoun refers or that a personal pronoun replaces. A pronoun must give accurate and unmistakable reference to the noun or other pronoun it replaces. The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular, plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), and person (first, second, third).

 We need an agenda to know what is expected of us at the workshop.  We are playing a game.  The antecedent is we, a first-person plural pronoun. The first-person plural pronoun us is necessary when referring to this antecedent.  The subject is we, a first-person plural pronoun. Are is the plural verb.

 Use a singular pronoun ( he, she, him, her, his, it ) if you use a singular antecedent.  Ginny discussed her harassment complaint with her supervisor.  Use a plural pronoun ( they, their, them ) if you use a plural antecedent.  Employees are not always aware that their actions may offend customers.

 Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents (compound subject) joined by the word and.  Use a plural verb to refer to a compound subject joined the word and.  New York and New Jersey allow their state employees ten holidays a year.  Mark, Terry, and John are working in New York

 When two antecedents are joined by or or nor, the antecedent closest to the pronoun determines number.  When two subjects are joined by or or nor, the antecedent closest to the verb determines number.  John or his friends attend the dance.  His friends or John will get his revenge.

O: One, Other S: Somebody, Someone, Something A: Another, Anybody, Anyone, Anything N: Neither, Nobody, No One, Nothing E: Each, Either, Everybody, Everyone, Everything

 Always Plural: both, others, few several  Quantities: Look inside the prepositional phrase › Few, Many, Percentages, Fractions, Most

 Ignore an intervening prepositional phrase when locating the antecedent.  Either of the two men can approve overtime for his supervisor.

 Each of the members have one vote.  One of the girls gave up her seat.  A student should see an advisor if you have questions.  Many of us loves the movies, but you seldom have time to go to them.  A person needs to learn how to read, or you will not do very well in school.

OwnershipRelationship Toby’s ponchoa night’s sleep my homeworkdogs’ leashes everyone’s awardanyone’s guess

 To form the possessive case of a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s. › Teacher’s desk › James’s grade

 To form the possessive case of a plural noun ending in s, add only the apostrophe › Teachers’ desks › Dogs’ bones

 To form the possessive case of a plural noun that does not end in s, add an apostrophe and an s. › Sheep’s coat › Children’s games

 The plants leaves were all yellow and brown.  I have two boys named Joe in my class. Both Joe’s last names start with P.  The man was surprised when the dogs collar broke because its material was supposed to be quite sturdy.  Lisas and Eddies cat was very shy.

 Dependent Clause: Group of words that work together, but cannot stand alone as a sentence › Fragment  Independent Clause: Group of words that work together and stands alone as a sentence

 This pattern is an example of a simple sentence: Independent clause [. ]  Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

 This pattern is an example of a compound sentence with a coordinating conjunction: Independent clause [, ] coordinating conjunction independent clause [. ]  There are seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet.  Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, but they don't know the reasons for it.

 This pattern is an example of a compound sentence with a semicolon. Independent clause [ ; ] independent clause [. ]  Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma; they are unsure of its cause.

 This pattern is an example of a compound sentence with an independent marker. Independent clause [ ; ] independent marker [, ] independent clause [. ]  Examples of independent markers are the following: therefore, moreover, thus, consequently, however, also.  Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma; therefore, they have called for more research into its causes.

 A dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.  When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, it was very noisy.  Some common dependent markers are: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.

 This pattern is an example of a complex sentence with a dependent marker. Dependent marker dependent clause[, ] Independent clause[. ]  Example: Because doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma, they have called for more research into its causes.

 This pattern is an example of a complex sentence with a dependent marker. Independent clause dependent marker dependent clause [. ]  Example: Doctors are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma because it is a common, treatable illness.

 This pattern includes an independent clause with an embedded non-essential clause or phrase First part of an independent clause [, ] non-essential clause or phrase, rest of the independent clause [. ]  Example: Many doctors, including both pediatricians and family practice physicians, are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma.

 This pattern includes an independent clause with an embedded essential clause or phrase First part of an independent clause essential clause or phrase rest of the independent clause [. ]  Example: Many doctors who are concerned about the rising death rate from asthma have called for more research into its causes.

 Pauline loves to go to the beach and spend her days sunbathing.  Bruno likes the view that from the log cabin up in the mountains, and he enjoys hiking in the forest.  This year, after a lengthy, noisy debate, they decided to take separate vacations.  Bruno took the desktop computer that he uses at work, and Pauline sits on the beach with her laptop computer, which she connects to the internet with a cellular phone.