Agreement with indefinite pronouns

Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. Even though some of the following indefinite pronouns may seem to have plural meanings, treat them as singular in formal English:

anybody

anyone

anything

each

either

everybody

everyone

everything

neither

nobody

no one

somebody

someone

something

Example sentence: In this class everyone performs at his or her [not 'their'] fitness level.

When a plural pronoun refers mistakenly to a singular indefinite pronoun, you can usually choose one of three options for revision.

  1. Replace the plural pronoun with he or she (or his or her).

    Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: When someone has been drinking, they are likely to speed. Revised sentence: When someone has been drinking, he or she is likely to speed.

  2. Make the antecedent plural.

    Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: When someone has been drinking, they are likely to speed. Revised sentence: When drivers have been drinking, they are likely to speed.

  3. Rewrite the sentence so that no problem of agreement exists.

    Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: When someone has been drinking, they are likely to speed. Revised sentence: A driver who has been drinking is likely to speed.

Because the he or she construction is wordy, often the second or third revision strategy is more effective.

Exercise: Pronoun-antecedent agreement 1

Exercise: Pronoun-antecedent agreement 2

Exercise: Pronoun-antecedent agreement 3

Exercise: Pronoun-antecedent agreement 4

indefinite pronoun A pronoun that refers to a nonspecific person or thing: anyone, nobody, everything.