Test Yourself

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

[Harbrace 6a - 6b] 

Review

• Introduction: Agreement of Pronouns with their Antecedents 
• Singular Indefinite Pronouns 
• Collective Nouns 
• Antecedents Joined by Conjunctions 
• Implied or Nonexistent Antecedents 

Introduction

A pronoun generally takes its meaning from a word or word group that appears before it. The noun or pronoun to which a pronoun refers is called an antecedent.

Pronouns and their antecedents should agree in:

1. number (singular or plural), 
2. person (first, second, or third), 
3. and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter). 

Pronouns and their antecedents should also be clearly related so that a reader has no trouble understanding which pronoun refers to which antecedent. 

EXAMPLE:
Diane checked her bank balance; she learned that it was very low.
(In this sentence, it is clear that the pronouns her and she refer to Diane; whereas, it refers to bank balance.) 

Singular Indefinite Pronouns

Use singular pronouns with singular indefinite pronoun antecedents such as these: 

• any 
• anybody 
• each 
• every 
• everyone 
• either 
• neither 
• person 
• none 
• somebody 

EXAMPLES:
Under the new dormitory plan, each has its own adviser.
(Its refers to each.) 

Nobody has done his or her work.
(His or her refers to nobody.) 

Collective Nouns

If a collective noun is the antecedent, use a singular pronoun for the group as a unit and a plural pronoun for the members separately. 

EXAMPLES:
The team made its decision. (unit) 

The team shared their opinions with the coach. (members) 

Antecedents Joined by Conjunctions

Use a plural pronoun when two or more antecedents are joined by and. 

EXAMPLE:
Jed and Sanford finished their assignment last night.
(Their refers to Jed and Sanford.) 

Use a singular pronoun when two or more singular antecedents are joined by or or nor. 

EXAMPLE:
Neither Jason nor Scott has his work done for next Monday.
(His agrees with Jason or Scott. Both antecedents are singular.) 

Use the pronoun that agrees with the nearest antecedent when or or nor joins any combination of singular and plural antecedents. 

EXAMPLE:
Neither the instructor nor the students expected their discussion to last so long.
(Their agrees with students.) 

Neither the students nor the instructor expected her discussion to last so long.
(Her agrees with instructor.) 

Implied or Nonexistent Antecedents [Harbrace 6b]

A pronoun should refer to only one antecedent. The antecedent must be nearby and specific. A pronoun should not refer to a nonexistent or implied antecedent. 

UNCLEAR:

Vince asked Matt to pick up his book. 

CLEAR:

Vince asked Matt to pick up Matt's book.
(or Vince's book) 

UNCLEAR:

The concentration camps are remembered with grief and bitterness. They can still give detailed accounts of events that occurred there. 

CLEAR:

The concentration camps are remembered with grief and bitterness. The survivors can still give detailed accounts of events that occurred there. 

Some pronouns do not require antecedents. These include indefinite pronouns (such as everybody, someone, and something) and pronouns (such as I and you) in contexts in which the meaning is clear.