Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronoun A pronoun is a substitute for a noun. It refers to a person, place, thing, feeling, or quality but does not refer to it by its name. The pronoun in the following sample sentence is bolded.

Pronoun Kids at New York's Abraham Lincoln High School told me their teachers are so dull students fall asleep in class.

Antecedent An antecedent is the word, phrase, or clause to which a pronoun refers, understood by the context. The antecedent in the following sample sentence is bolded. The critique of Plato's Republic was written from a contemporary point of view. It was an in-depth analysis of Plato's opinions about possible governmental forms.

While the pronouns I, you and sometimes we can be replaced by nouns, the context of a sentence does not always require the nouns to make clear to which persons I and you refer. However, the third person pronouns (he, she, it, they) almost always derive their meaning from their antecedents or the words for which they stand. Remember that pronouns in the third person communicate nothing unless the reader knows what they mean:

Agreement A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in three ways: Person refers to the quality of being. Number is the quality that distinguishes between singular (one entity) and plural (numerous entities). Gender is the quality that distinguishes the entities as masculine or feminine.

Grammar Conflicts Incorrect Sentence Explanation If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of the game. Explanation Antecedent a person (third person) Pronoun you (second person)

Solution Change the second person singular, you, to a third person singular pronoun. If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, he or she has to know the rules of the game. Change the third person singular antecedent, a person, to a second person singular antecedent. If you want to succeed in corporate life, you have to know the rules of the game.

Number Incorrect Sentence If anybody wants to succeed in corporate life, they have to know the rules of the game.

Explanation Antecedent Pronoun anybody (third person singular) they (third person plural)

Solution Make the antecedent plural. Make the pronoun singular. If people want to succeed in corporate life, they have to know the rules of the game. Make the pronoun singular. If anybody wants to succeed in corporate life, he or she has to know the rules of the game.

Gender Incorrect Sentence If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, he has to know the rules of the game.

Explanantion Antecedent Pronoun a person (third person neutral singular) Pronoun he (third person masculine singular)

Solution Even though there is person and number agreement between the antecedent, a person, and the pronoun, he, there is no gender agreement; in other words, the language appears to favor one sex over the other. This problem can be remedied in two ways.

Replace the pronoun he with he or she. If a person wants to succeed in corporate life, he or she has to know the rules of the game. Make the entire sentence plural. If people want to succeed in corporate life, they have to know the rules of the game

Pronouns

Pronouns

Reflexive Pronouns Myself themselves Yourself Himself Herself Itself

As antecedents, the indefinite pronouns below ALWAYS take a singular pronoun referent.

Nobody wants his or her car stolen. Each of the students gave his or her speech. Neither of the girls did her homework. One of the boys threw his book away.

Indefinite Pronouns Both: Few: Several: Many: Both of the students lost their books Few: The few who completed their tests left early. Several: Several of the students said they would be late. Many: Many of the students left their books in class.

Indefinite Pronouns (Singular or Plural) All All of the students did their homework. All of the candy is still in its package. Most Some Any None

Incorrect One of the students must give their oral report tomorrow.

Correct One of the students must give his or her oral report tomorrow.

Incorrect Everybody was hoping to have their lottery number picked.

Correct Everybody was hoping to have his or her lottery number picked.

incorrect If anyone doesn't like the music I'm playing, they can go somewhere else.

Correct If anyone doesn't like the music I'm playing, he or she can go somewhere else.

Incorrect In the first-day confusion, neither of the teachers could find their classroom.

Correct In the first-day confusion, neither of the teachers could find his or her classroom.