1. Pronoun Agreement and Reference
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Pronoun Agreement and Reference

2. Pronouns 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.
[They takes the place of photographs, which is third person plural.]

3. Pronoun Agreement Pronouns and the words they replace must
agree in person and number.
Error in Person:
If a person wants to become a portrait
photographer, you must have the proper
equipment for lighting.
Revised: If a person wants to become a photographer,
he must have the proper equipment for lighting.

4. Pronoun Agreement Pronouns and the words they replace 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 often misses some of the action.

5. Gender-Appropriate Pronouns
To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generic he.
-Use masculine and feminine pronouns together.
Example: The person who planned this exhibit knew what he or she was doing.
-Revise the sentence by using the plural.
Example: The people who planned this exhibit knew what they were doing.
-Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.
Example: The people who planned this exhibit did an excellent job.

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

7. 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?

8. 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?

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

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

11. 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

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

13. Practice Review
Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and you should review these notes within 24 hours.
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.
Incorrect

14. Practice Review Incorrect:
Each is singular.
Revision:
Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of her own 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

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

16. 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

17. 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