1. Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form B John Langan
Pronoun Reference, Agreement,
and Point of View
Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form B
John Langan

2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Writers often use pronouns to take the place of nouns.
If you do this, you must be certain that each pronoun agrees with the noun it refers to.
Example:
The photographs meant a great deal to him because they belonged to his grandmother.
[Photographs is the antecedent of they, which is third person plural.]

3. Pronoun Reference
If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear.
Example:
Mark told Todd that he needed to buy film.
Did Mark or Todd need to buy film?

4. Pronoun Reference
If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear.
Example:
The editor told the staff members not to mail the photographs because they were too important.
What does they refer too?

5. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns and antecedents must
agree in person and number.
Revised:
If a person wants to
become a photographer,
he or she must have the
proper equipment for
lighting.
Error in Person:
If a person wants to become a portrait
photographer, you must have the proper
equipment for lighting.

6. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns and antecedents must
agree in person and number.
Error in Number:
When a student videotapes a sporting event,
they often miss some of the action.
Revised:When a student videotapes a sporting event,
he or she often misses some of the action.

7. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Avoid sexism
Be consistent in use of gender.
Avoid sexist pronouns.
To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generic he.
-Use masculine and feminine pronouns together.
-Revise the sentence by using the plural.
-Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.
Examples:
1. The person who planned this
exhibit knew what he or she
was doing.
2. The people who planned this
exhibit knew what they
were doing.
3. The people who planned this
exhibit did an excellent job.

8. Checkpoints
1. An indefinite pronoun such as everybody or something is usually singular.
Anyone who has developed his or her own film must be familiar with dark rooms.
Each of the photographers bought his or her camera.

9. Checkpoints
2. A collective noun which refers to a group as one unit is usually singular.
The group will have its meeting this Friday.
The collection on display is in the gallery.

10. Checkpoints The zoom lens and the wide-angle lens require
3. Compound antecedents require a plural pronoun.
The zoom lens and the wide-angle lens require
special situations for their use.

11. Use a Consistent Point of View: Pronouns
Remember, do not shift point of view unnecessarily.
Ex.: One of the fringe benefits of my job is that you can use a company credit card for gasoline. I

12. Practice Review
Anyone can be successful in school if they make the right choices.
Revision:
Anyone can be successful in school if he or she makes the right choices. Or
Students can be successful in school if they make the right choices.
Incorrect

13. Practice Review
When students do not understand what they read, they should note their questions and find answers.
Correct

14. Practice Review
Students should realize that education supports your long term goals.
The pronoun “your” does not refer to students.
Revision:
Students should realize that education supports their long term goals.
Incorrect

15. Practice Review Libraries are important for
students because they provide information.
Incorrect
Does THEY refer to students or libraries?

16. Practice Review Incorrect:
The subject shifts to you when the subject was students.
Revision:
Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and they should review these notes within 24 hours.
Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and you should review these notes within 24 hours.
Incorrect

17. Practice Review Incorrect:
Each is singular.
Revision:
Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of his or her life.
Or…
Individuals must take responsibility for the quality of their own lives.
Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of their own life.
Incorrect

18. Practice Review When students join clubs and organizations,
they increase their chances of staying in
school.
Correct

19. Practice Review Incorrect:
Students is plural.
Revision:
The most important thing that students can do is to organize their time.
The most important thing a student can do is to organize your time.
Incorrect

20. Practice Review
Jamie dropped the heavy camera on her foot and broke it.
Incorrect:
Did the camera break or did her foot?
Revision:
The camera broke when Jamie dropped it on her foot.
Incorrect