Using Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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Using Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Indefinite
pronouns Compound antecedents Solving special
agreement problems Collective nouns Plural
forms Titles Relative pronouns Expressions of
amount Review A Review B
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
You may have heard that it is rude to point, but
thats exactly what pronouns do.
A pronoun points to a noun or another pronoun
called its antecedent.
Antecedent
Pronoun
Pronoun
Antecedent
Nicole was glad that she had brought her camera.
Nicole was glad that she had brought her camera.
When a pronoun and its antecedent do not agree,
listeners and readers become lost.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
A pronoun should agree in both number and gender
with its antecedent.
A word that refers to one thing is singular.
A word that refers to more than one is plural.
lion
Singular
nose
she
Plural
lions
noses
they
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
Use singular pronouns to refer to singular
antecedents.
Singular pronoun
Singular antecedent
Break one egg and fry it.
Break one egg and fry it.
Break one egg and fry it.
Singular Personal Pronouns Singular Personal Pronouns Singular Personal Pronouns
I me my, mine
you you your, yours
he, she, it him, her, it his, hers, its
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
Use plural pronouns to refer to plural
antecedents.
Plural pronoun
Plural antecedent
Cut two slices and toast them.
Cut two slices and toast them.
Cut two slices and toast them.
Plural Personal Pronouns Plural Personal Pronouns Plural Personal Pronouns
we us our, ours
you you your, yours
they them their, theirs
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Gender
Some singular pronouns indicate gender.

• Masculine pronouns refer to males.

• Feminine pronouns refer to females.

• Neuter pronouns refer to places, things, ideas,
  and animals.

Masculine
he
him
his
himself
Feminine
she
her
her, hers
herself
Neuter
it
it
its
itself
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Person
Person indicates whether a pronoun refers to

• the one(s) speaking

first person
I promised myself that I would clean my room.

• the one(s) spoken to

second person
Do you have your library card with you?

• the one(s) spoken about

third person
They built their new house themselves.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents. Then, identify
the antecedent.
1. The neighbors forgot to close the gate to
__________ backyard.
2. Mrs. Farrow always posts the schedule on the
door of __________ classroom.
3. Ignoring the food we offered, the cat began to
clean __________ paws.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents. Then, identify
the antecedent.
Antecedent
1. The neighbors forgot to close the gate to
__________ backyard.
their
The plural pronoun their agrees with the plural
antecedent neighbors.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents. Then, identify
the antecedent.
Antecedent
2. Mrs. Farrow always posts the schedule on the
door of __________ classroom.
her
The singular feminine pronoun her agrees with the
singular feminine antecedent Mrs. Farrow.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents. Then, identify
the antecedent.
Antecedent
3. Ignoring the food we offered, the cat began to
clean __________ paws.
its
The singular neuter pronoun its agrees with the
singular neuter antecedent cat.
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
On Your Own
The following sentences contain errors in
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each
error, and give the form of the pronoun that
agrees with its antecedent. 1. Two girls won a
prize for her project. 2. Although we drove
through the mountains, we could not see it
because of the fog. 3. If he calls this
afternoon, tell he that Ill call back. 4. My
cousins house has two fireplaces in them. 5. The
children forgot to put on its jackets.
End of Section
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What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
Answers
The following sentences contain errors in
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each
error, and give the form of the pronoun that
agrees with its antecedent.
1. Two girls won a prize for their project.
2. Although we drove through the mountains, we
could not see them because of the fog.
3. If he calls this afternoon, tell him that Ill
call back.
4. My cousins house has two fireplaces in it.
5. The children forgot to put on their jackets.
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Solving special agreement problems Collective
nouns
A collective noun may be either singular or
plural, depending on how the noun is used.

• Use a singular pronoun when the noun refers to
  the group as a unit.

The tour group surprised its guide by presenting
her with a lovely thank-you gift.

• Use a plural pronoun when the noun refers to
  parts of the group or to individual members.

The guide surprised the tour group by presenting
them with souvenirs.
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Solving special agreement problemsCollective
nouns
The singular form of a collective noun refers to
a group.
Common Collective Nouns Common Collective Nouns Common Collective Nouns Common Collective Nouns
army club family squadron
assembly congregation group staff
audience fleet herd team
band flock number troop
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Solving special agreement problems Plural forms
Some nouns that are plural in form take singular
pronouns.
Plural Forms That Take Singular Verbs Plural Forms That Take Singular Verbs Plural Forms That Take Singular Verbs
civics gymnastics molasses
economics linguistics mumps
electronics mathematics news
genetics measles physics
I am taking physics now, and I find it
challenging.
Theres no more molasses in the jar. Did you use
it?
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Solving special agreement problems Plural forms
Many nouns ending in ics, such as athletics,
acoustics, and ethics, may be singular or plural.
Grammar Guy Says...
Such nouns are generally singular when they refer
to a science, system, or skill.
Acoustics is the branch of science that deals
with sound.
Such nouns are plural when they refer to
qualities or individual items.
The acoustics of the new theater are excellent.
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Solving special agreement problems Plural forms
Some nouns that refer to single items take plural
verbs.
binoculars pants shears
eyeglasses pliers slacks
Olympics scissors trousers
After you use my scissors, please put them back
where you found them.
When the Olympics were on television, did you
watch them?
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Solving special agreement problems Titles
Even when plural in form, these types of nouns
take singular pronouns.

• Titles of a creative workbooks, songs, movies,
  or paintings

Once I started watching Finders, I never missed
an episode of it.

• Names of countries, cities, or organizations

I dont know the population of Grand Rapids, but
it is the second-largest city in Michigan.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars held its parade last
Saturday.
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Solving special agreement problemsTitles
When the name of an organization refers to
individual members, it takes a plural pronoun.
Grammar Guy Says...
The Veterans of Foreign Wars wore their uniforms
when they marched in the parade.
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Solving special agreement problems Relative
pronouns
The gender and number of the relative pronoun
that, which, or who is determined by the word to
which the relative pronoun refersits antecedent.
Enrique, who lives with his aunt and uncle, was
born in Puerto Rico.

1. The relative pronoun who refers to Enrique.
2. Enrique is a singular, masculine noun.
3. The relative pronoun who takes a singular,
   masculine pronoun, his.

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Solving special agreement problemsExpressions of
amount
An expression of amount (a measurement,
percentage, or fraction) may be singular or
plural, depending on how it is used.

• Use a singular pronoun when the amount is
  thought of as a unit.

The part costs fifty dollars, and I dont have it.

• Use a plural pronoun when the amount is thought
  of as separate items.

He had dropped two dollars, so I picked them up
for him.
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Solving special agreement problemsExpressions of
amount
A fraction or a percentage is

• singular when it refers to a singular word.

One quarter of the pizza is left. Do you want to
take it home?

• plural when it refers to a plural word.

One quarter of the slices are left. Do you want
to take them home?
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Solving special agreement problems
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents.
1. I cant find my binoculars I must have left
______ somewhere.
2. Ray decided to study economics after he took a
class about _____.
3. We have practiced The Stars and Stripes
Forever until everyone in the band is
comfortable playing ______.
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Solving special agreement problems
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents.
1. I cant find my binoculars I must have left
______ somewhere.
them
Binoculars is a noun that takes a plural pronoun
even though it refers to a single item. The
plural pronoun them agrees with the plural
antecedent binoculars.
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Solving special agreement problems
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents.
2. Ray decided to study economics after he took a
class about _____.
it
The noun economics is singular because it refers
to a science, system, or skill. The singular
pronoun it agrees with the singular antecedent
economics.
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Solving special agreement problems
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns
that agree with their antecedents.
3. We have practiced The Stars and Stripes
Forever until everyone in the band is
comfortable playing ______.
it
Titles of creative works are singular. The
singular pronoun it agrees with the singular
antecedent The Stars and Stripes Forever.
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Solving special agreement problems
On Your Own
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns
that do not agree with their antecedents. If a
pronoun does not agree with its antecedent,
provide the correct pronoun. If a sentence is
already correct, write C. 1. Did the Cub Scouts
wear its hats during the ceremony? 2. The room,
which had no decorations on their walls, looked
very bare. 3. The team needs to make a decision
about their mascot. 4. Measure two thirds of a
cup of flour, and add it one spoonful at a
time. 5. Locate the Netherlands on the map, and
write the name of their capital city.
End of Section
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Solving special agreement problems
Answers
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns
that do not agree with their antecedents. If a
pronoun does not agree with its antecedent,
provide the correct pronoun. If a sentence is
already correct, write C.
1. Did the Cub Scouts wear their hats during the
ceremony?
2. The room, which had no decorations on its
walls, looked very bare.
3. The team needs to make a decision about its
mascot.
4. Measure two thirds of a cup of flour, and add
it one spoonful at a time. C
5. Locate the Netherlands on the map, and write
the name of its capital city.
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Review A
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns that
agree with their antecedents.

1. I enjoyed the movie, but ________ was too long.

1. Some of the members did not cast ________ votes
   yet.

1. Everyone in the class brought _________ notebook.

1. The woman, who was walking ________ dogs in the
   park, asked to use my cell phone.

5. Either Brian or Charles will read _______
report first.
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Review A
Possible Answers
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns that
agree with their antecedents.

1. I enjoyed the movie, but ________ was too long.

it
their

1. Some of the members did not cast ________ votes
   yet.

his or her

1. Everyone in the class brought _________ notebook.

her

1. The woman, who was walking ________ dogs in the
   park, asked to use my cell phone.

his
5. Either Brian or Charles will read _______
report first.
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Review B
The following sentences contain errors in
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each
error, and give the form of the pronoun that
agrees with its antecedent.
1. If any of the oranges are left, please put it
away.

1. The League of Women Voters will sponsor their
   annual debate for the candidates next week.

3. Mike bent the pliers and wasnt able to
straighten it.
4. One third of the field doesnt have any crops
planted in them.
5. Does anyone still need their locker
combination?
End of Section
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Review B
The following sentences contain errors in
pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each
error, and give the form of the pronoun that
agrees with its antecedent.
1. If any of the oranges are left, please put
them away.

1. The League of Women Voters will sponsor its
   annual debate for the candidates next week.

3. Mike bent the pliers and wasnt able to
straighten them.
4. One third of the field doesnt have any crops
planted in it.
5. Does anyone still need his or her locker
combination?
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The End