Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

What’s a Pronoun?

• A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun or other pronoun
• It can take the place of a subject word (I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
• It can take the place of an object word (me, you him, her it, us, them)
• It can take the place of a possessive word (my, mine, your, yours, his, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs)

What’s an antecedent?

• The word that the pronoun replaces.
• Names
• Places
• Items

What to Check

• The pronouns he, his, she, her, it, and its must agree in gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) with their antecedents.
• Make sure they are in the same tense/ "agree in person"
• Make sure it agrees with number you are talking about

A. If a driver refuses to take a blood or breath test, he or she will have their licenses suspended for six months.

B. If drivers refuse to take a blood or breath test, they will have their licenses suspended for six months.

A. Why should we learn a second language? One reason is to sharpen our minds.

B. Why should anyone learn a second language? One reason is to sharpen their minds.

A. The Department of Education issued guidelines for school security. They were trying to anticipate problems and avert disaster.

B. Trying to anticipate problems and avert disaster, the Department of Education issued guidelines for school security.

Test: Edit to Agree

• A police dog will do anything for their master, including giving up their life.
• An eighteenth-century architect was also a classical scholar; they were often at the forefront of archaeological research.
• If anyone on the premises is caught smoking, they will be severely reprimanded.

Answers

• A police dog will do anything for its master, including giving up its life.
• Eighteenth-century architects were also classical scholars; they were often at the forefront of archaeological research.
• Anyone who is caught smoking on the premises will be severely reprimanded.