PronounAntecedent Agreement These questions should be answered at

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

These questions should be answered at the end of these notes: • What is a pronoun? • What is an antecedent? • What is a pronoun-antecedent error?

What is a pronoun? ? • Takes the place of a noun or another pronoun • Subject word: I, you, he, she, we, it, they… • Object word: me, us, them, him, her… • Possessive word: mine, your, its, ours, theirs…

What is an antecedent? ? • The word that the pronoun replaces Ex: Hermione Granger threw her wand down. (her replaces Hermione) Ex: When Ron saw the wand, he picked it up and handed it to her (it replaces wand)

So what is pronoun-antecedent disagreement? • Basically: all pronouns and their antecedents need to agree in person and in number

Agree in Person • I hate to proofread my paper because proofreading is such a boring thing for you to do. • Why should I study literature? You don’t get anything out of it. **If something is written in 1 st person, it should use 1 st person pronouns, 2 nd person= 2 nd person pronouns etc.

Agree in Number • Singular antecedents get singular pronouns -The boy tossed his hat on the ground. • Plural antecedents get plural pronouns -The boys tossed their hats on the ground.

Those Examples are easy…. • There are several other exceptions that can make this type of agreement very difficult!!

Problem: Singular Nouns that can refer to a man or a woman Ex: A person should be able to make up their own mind about prayer in schools INCORRECT---why? ? Ex: PEOPLE should be able to make up their own minds about prayer in schools. OR A person should be able to make up his or her own mind about prayer in schools.

Problem: Need to decide if the subject is singular or plural Ex: The jury took only two hours to reach their verdict. INCORRECT---why? ? Ex: The jury took only two hours to reach its verdict.

Some words are tricky—BE CAREFUL! • • • Another Anybody Anyone Anything Each Either Everybody Everyone Everything Little • Much • Neither • Nobody • Nothing • No one • Nothing • One • Other • Somebody • Something • Someone

One last example… • Each of the groups will have (its, their) convention here. Singular or plural pronoun needed? ?

Warm-up: 3/2/11 • 1. The captains of both teams forgot the words of wisdom that (his/her, their) coaches had given the night before the championship. • 2. Every student should proof (his/her, their) essay for Type I errors. • 3. Everyone complained that (his/her, their) food was cold. • 4. None of my sisters remembered to purchase (her, their) tickets. • 5. Each of the daughters followed (her, their) mother's footsteps.

Antecedent Review • 1. The committee has disagreed about (its, their) next move. • 2. Each of the groups will have (its, their) convention here. • 3. That package of clothes is heavy, so don't lift (it, them). • 4. If any one of the sisters needs a ride to church, (she, they) can call me.

And again…. • 5. Kathryn and Alex are concerned about (her, their) welfare in this course. • 6. Did Sam or Chris want (his, their) hair cut? • 7. Somebody left (his or her, their) trash on the road. • 8. At the end of the movies, each of the couples cleared up (its, their) misunderstanding. • 9. The Washington team was optimistic; (it, they) took advantage of every break.

• 10. When a person is in trouble, (he or she, they) may resort to anything. • 11. The new style of hats is supposed to be popular, but I don't like (it, them). • 12. The books or the bag would be quite enough to carry, so don't tire yourself over (it, them). • 13. What is wrong with the jury? (They, it) can't make a decision. • 14. Actors during early rehearsals often forget (his or her, their) lines. • 15. Both of my parents decided to cut (his or her, their) hair.

• 5. If any one of the sisters needs a ride, (she, they) can call me. • 6. When someone has been drinking, (he or she, they) may drive poorly. • 7. If the board of directors controls the company, (it, they) may vote for a raise. • 8. Neither the pilot nor the attendants gave (his or her, their) opinion about the mishap. • 9. Each of these companies had (its, their) books audited. • 10. Some of the china has lost (its, their) luster.