Lesson 5.06: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Always plural such as:

Both, Many, Others, Several, All, Few.

Always singular such as:

Each, Either, Neither, Everyone, Everybody, No one, Nobody, Nothing, Other, Someone, Somebody, Something.

Singular

If the pronoun is referring to one person or thing. Such as: He, She, It, Him, Her, It, His, Hers, Its, Himself, Herself, Itself. If all members of the group are acting together, they are acting as one.

Plural

If the pronoun is referring to two or more. Such as: They, Them, Themselves. If all members of the group are acting individually, then they aren't working together as one, but as many together.

Pronoun

It can replace a noun or another pronoun; therefore, it can be the subject of a sentence. It must agree with its antecedent. It is either singular or plural.

Indefinite pronoun

It cause trouble sometimes because they refer to an identifiable but not specifiable person or thing. Such as: All, Many, Some, Such.

Possessive pronoun

It does not take the apostrophe.

It's

It is.

Collective nouns

It refer to groups of people. They may be singular or plural depending on the context of the sentence. Thus, the pronouns referring to the collective noun may be singular or plural. Examples: - The congregation [collective noun] of alligators slept peacefully in its [congregation is singular because the alligators are all sleeping at the same time as one] spot on the riverbank. - A sleuth [collective noun] of bears pilfered through the garbage to find their [sleuth is plural because the bears would all eat at the same time. They are going through the garbage at separate times] dinner. - A charm [collective noun] of hummingbirds fluttered by the window before moving on to its [the hummingbirds are acting as one when they fly by ; that is why the singular pronoun is taken] next house.

Antecedent

Its sentence usually a noun that the pronoun replaces. Example: Ms. Crow [subject of the sentence and the antecedent of her] tripped over her [pronoun] feet. She [subject] is clumsy!

Its

Possessive pronoun.

Plural antecedent

Two or more subjects joined by [and ]

Has anyone lost ( her , their ) jacket?

her

Neither Mary nor Laura has turned in ( her , their ) report.

her

Either the players or the coach will receive ( his , their ) trophy

his

Everyone should be in ( his or her , their ) seat before the bell rings.

his or her

At the zoo, every lion, tiger, bear, and crocodile roared ( its , their ) voice with anticipation of the visitors.

its

Some of the vanilla has lost ( its , their ) flavor.

its

All of the children were excited to see ( his or her , their ) parents after the spend the night party.

their

Both Mr. Perkins and Mr. King have commitments and can't attend ( his , their ) reunion.

their