12 | Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
12|Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
A pronoun’s job is to fill in for a noun, much as an actor’s double fills in for the actor. Pronouns are a short, convenient way to avoid repeating the noun.
The sheriff drew a six-shooter; he fired twice.
In this action-packed sentence, first comes a noun (sheriff) and then a pronoun (he) that refers back to it. Sheriff is the antecedent of he. Just as verbs need to agree with their subjects, pronouns need to agree with the nouns they stand for without shifting number, person, or gender in midsentence.
12aPronouns agree with their antecedents in person and number.
A pronoun matches its antecedent in person (first, second, or third) and in number (singular or plural), even when intervening words separate the pronoun and its antecedent. Here, noun and pronoun disagree in person (third person campers; second person your):
Here, noun and pronoun disagree in number (singular camper; plural their):
12bMost antecedents joined by and require a plural pronoun.
A compound subject is a subject consisting of two or more nouns or pronouns linked by and (see 5a).
A compound subject is plural; use a plural pronoun to refer to it.
George, who has been here before, and Jenn, who hasn’t, need their maps.
If the nouns in a compound subject refer to the same person or thing, they make up a singular antecedent. Use a singular pronoun too.
The owner and founder of this company carries his laptop everywhere.
12cA pronoun agrees with the closest part of an antecedent joined by or or nor.
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If your subject is two or more nouns (or a combination of nouns and pronouns) connected by or or nor, look closely at the subject’s parts. Are they all singular? If so, your pronoun should be singular.
If the part of the subject closest to the pronoun is plural, the pronoun should be plural.
12dAn antecedent that is a singular indefinite pronoun takes a singular pronoun.
For a list of indefinite pronouns, see 9f.
Most indefinite pronouns (such as everyone and anybody) are singular in meaning, so the pronouns that refer to them are also singular.
12eMost collective nouns used as antecedents require singular pronouns.
When the members of a group (such as a committee, family, jury, or trio) act as a unit, use a singular pronoun to refer to them.
When the group members act individually, use a plural pronoun.
12fA pronoun agrees with its antecedent in gender.
EXERCISE 12-1 Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree
If any nouns and pronouns disagree in number, person, or gender in the following sentences, substitute pronouns that agree with the nouns. If you prefer, strengthen any sentence by rewriting it. Some sentences may be correct. Example:
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Many architects find work their greatest pleasure.
Neither Melissa nor James has received their application form yet.
He is the kind of man who gets their fun out of just sipping one’s beer and watching his Saturday games on TV.
Many a mother has mourned the loss of their child.
When one enjoys one’s work, it’s easy to spend all your spare time thinking about it.
All students are urged to complete your registration on time.
When a baby doesn’t know their own mother, they may have been born with some kind of vision deficiency.
Each member of the sorority has to make her own bed.
If you don’t like the songs the choir sings, don’t join them.
Young people should know how to protect oneself against AIDS.