Grammar and Mechanics: Antecedent-Pronoun Agreement

Relevance to International Exams

• Applicable to IELTS, SAT, EmSAT
• EmSAT grammar Common Core Standards:
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.1: Command of standard English grammar and usage.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.2: Command of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Objectives

• Explain rules of antecedent-pronoun agreement.
• Apply correct usage of pronoun-antecedent agreement.
• Produce grammatically correct writing.

Key Concepts

Antecedent and Pronoun

• Pronoun: A word used to stand for (replace) a noun.
• Antecedent: A word for which a pronoun stands (ante = "before").
• Agreement: Pronouns must agree in number, gender, and person with their antecedents.

General Rules

1. Pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number.

   • Singular pronoun replaces a singular noun.
   • Plural pronoun replaces a plural noun.

2. A phrase or clause between the subject and verb does not change the number of the antecedent.

Indefinite Pronouns as Antecedents

• Singular Indefinite Pronoun Antecedents: Take singular pronoun referents.
• Plural Indefinite Pronoun Antecedents: Require plural referents (e.g., several, few, both, many).

Gender and Person

• Pronoun gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) must match the antecedent.
• Person (first, second, third) must agree with the antecedent.

Further Rules

• Indefinite pronouns modified by a prepositional phrase can be singular or plural (e.g., some, any, none, all, most).
• Compound subjects joined by "and" always take a plural referent.
• With compound subjects joined by "or/nor," the pronoun agrees with the antecedent closer to it.

Activities

Activity 1

Choose the correct pronoun for sentences:

1. Scuba divers are taught that (you, they) should check (your, their) equipment.
2. Patrick and Warren will present (his, their) routine before others do.
3. Not one hiker would set out without (his or her, their) compass.
4. Sal and Marcus shop here because (you, they) can find bargains.

Answers:

1. They, their
2. Their
3. His or her
4. They

Activity 2

• Exercises on pages 89-90 in Language Practice book.
• Write a paragraph describing an upcoming UAE event using correct antecedent-pronoun agreement.

Plenary: Quick Concept Check

1. Neither Carmen nor her sisters have bought a gift for (her, their) brother.
2. Anyone who wants a job should bring (his or her, their) application.
3. Aysha liked walking home because (you, she) saved money.
4. Each of the boys enjoyed (his, their) trip.
5. Both of the girls took medication for (her, their) allergies.

Answers:

1. Their
2. His or her
3. She
4. His
5. Their