Pronoun-Antecedent agreement

Pronoun-Antecedent agreement

By Marci Mulkey

​Quick check?

​What is a pronoun?

• ​A word that replaces a previously mentioned noun

• ​Mike is here, and he brought his bat

​What are some examples of pronouns?

• ​he, us, I, we

​

​What is an antecedent?

• ​The noun that the pronoun replaces

• ​John came too, and he brought a ball.

​Three types of person

​1st person

• ​I, me, us

• ​Ex: I went to the store

​

​Second person

• ​you, you all

• ​Ex: You went to the store.

​

​Third person

• ​he, she, it, they, them

• ​He went to the store

Multiple Choice

Practice: Starla brought her dog to the park

What is the pronoun and antecedent?

• Starla, brought

• Starla, her

• Starla, dog

• Starla, park

Multiple Choice

Practice: Nikki thought it was a good idea to tell her parents about her new job.

Identify the pronoun and antecedent

• Nikki, her

• Nikki, job

• Parents, job

• Parents, her

Multiple Choice

Practice: Mike and Jamarcus brought over a game to play, but they forgot to invite Brian

Identify the pronoun and antecedent

• Mike and Jamarcus, brought

• Mike and Jamarcus, game

• Mike and Jamarcus, they

• Brian, they 

​Three ways in which a pronoun has to agree with its antecedent

• ​In gender (masculine, feminine, neutral)

• ​In number (singular, plural)

• ​In person (1st, 2nd, 3rd)

​

​

​These are the big three!

Multiple Choice

Practice: Rex buried the bone in the backyard next to his dog house. 

Identify the big three of the pronoun and antecedent. 

• Masculine, singular, 3rd person

• Masculine, plural, 3rd person

• Masculine, singular, 1st person

• Feminine, singular, 3rd person 

Multiple Choice

Practice: My mom is a nurse, but she prefers gardening to working any day.

Identify the big three of the pronoun and antecedent.

• Feminine, plural, 3rd person

• Feminine, singular, 1st person

• Feminine, plural, 1st person

• Feminine, singular, 3rd person

Indefinite Pronouns - Now it gets real!

Indefinite pronouns are pronouns that refer to unknown people, places, or things.


These pronouns are really tricky, and its easy to mess these up.

Some of these pronouns are always singular, some are always plural, but a few of them can be either singular or plural depending upon the phrase that follows them.

Multiple Choice

This sentence is correct:

The boys always wanted their older sister to pay attention to her.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

During early rehearsals, an actor may forget ____ lines.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

If any one of the sisters needs a ride, _____can call me.

• she

• they

Multiple Choice

The committee members put ____ signatures on the document.

• its

• their

Multiple Choice

When someone has been drinking, _____may drive poorly.

• he or she

• they

Multiple Choice

No one wants _____ opinion to be ignored.

• his or her

• their

​Ambiguity

​1.) Broderick visited Jeremy after his practice.

​

​Whose practice, Broderick's or Jeremy's?

​

​2.) Dan gave his son a guitar that he had wanted for many years.

​

​Who wanted the guitar for many years? Dan or the son?

Multiple Choice

People had trouble finding daycare for ____children during the COVID pandemic.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

What is the best pronoun to use in the blank?

Becky wanted ______ mother to let her go out on Saturday night.

• her

• she

• their

• his

Multiple Select

What is the best pronoun to use in the blank?

Each one took _____ time on the test and passed with flying colors.

• his

• her

• their

Multiple Choice

A few of the researchers felt that (he or she, they) had discovered a marketable antiviral medicine to cure the common cold.

• he or she

• they

Multiple Choice

Neither of the managers planned to keep (his or her, their) inventory lean.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

Most of the executives expect modest gains for (his or her, their) firms.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

Some of the income will find (its, their) way into the accounts of other companies.

• its

• their

Multiple Choice

None of the organic farmers felt that an increase in consumer interest would threaten (his or her, their) profitability.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

Neither Aaron nor Travis answered (his, their) phone.

• his

• their

Multiple Choice

Everyone has a right to (his or her, their) own opinion.

• his or her

• their

Multiple Choice

Many of her friends have already finished (his or her, their) homework.

• his or her

• their

Poll

What is your comfort level with pronoun-antecedent agreement?

• I feel awesome!

• I think I understand, but I could use some more practice.

• I am lost