Pronoun and Antecedent Agreement

Antecedents are the nouns (or words that take the place of nouns) for which pronouns stand. Although
the word antecedent comes from a Latin word meaning “to go before,” an antecedent often follows its
pronoun. In this section you will learn how to make a pronoun agree with its antecedent.

General Rule:

A personal pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, person and gender.

The number of pronoun indicates whether it is singular or plural. The person of a pronoun indicates
whether the pronoun refers to the first person (the one speaking) the second person (the one spoken
to), or the third person (the one spoken about).

Some nouns or pronouns can also indicate gender. Nouns referring to males, such as father or nephew,
are masculine in gender. Nouns referring to females, such as mother or niece are feminine. Nouns that
refer to neither males nor females, such as books or truth are neuter.

Agreement in number

Making personal pronouns agree with their antecedents in number is usually a problem only when the
antecedent is a compound.

Use a singular personal pronoun with two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor.

Use a plural personal pronoun with two or more antecedents joined by and.

Agreement in person and gender

A personal pronoun and its antecedent will not agree if there is a shift in either or person or gender in
the second part of the sentence.

When dealing with pronoun-antecedent agreement, take care not to shift either person or gender.

Shift in person: Michelle is studying Spanish, a language you will need in the Peace Corps.

Correct: Michelle is studying Spanish, a language she will need in the Peace Corps.

Generic Masculine Pronouns

When the gender of the antecedent is not specified as either masculine or feminine, a masculine
personal pronoun has traditionally been used.

Examples: A guest might thank his host with a small gift.

A guest might thank the host with a small gift.

Guests might thank their host with a small gift.

 CEERS MOCK EXAMINATION

ENGLISH

Direction: Write an appropriate personal pronoun to complete each sentence.

1. Aunt Marie sent us ______ best wishes.

2. My brother and sister explained ______ objections.
3. Each boy designed ______ own poster.
4. Liza briefly told us about ______ experiences in Paris.
5. Neither Bob nor Jerry wanted to drive ______ car to work.
6. I ordered two crates of fruit, but ______ have not arrived.
7. The waiter asked me for ______ choice of salad dressing.
8. The delegates rose and thundered ______ approval.
9. Sam and Jill urged us to use ______ summer cottage.
10. The car has trouble with ______ transmission.