Pronouns are an essential part of the English language, and understanding how to use them correctly is crucial for clear and effective communication. One of the most common issues that learners face is pronoun agreement, which refers to the requirement that pronouns must agree with their antecedents in terms of number, gender, and person. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to pronoun agreement, helping language learners avoid common mistakes and improve their writing and speaking skills.
What is Pronoun Agreement?
Pronoun agreement means that a pronoun must match its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number, gender, and person. Failure to achieve pronoun agreement can lead to confusion and misinterpretation, making it essential for language learners to master this aspect of grammar.
For example:
– Incorrect: Each of the students must bring their book.
– Correct: Each of the students must bring his or her book.
In the incorrect sentence, the pronoun “their” does not agree in number with the singular noun “each.” The correct sentence uses “his or her,” which matches the singular antecedent.
Number Agreement
Singular Pronouns
Singular pronouns must refer to singular antecedents. Common singular pronouns include “he,” “she,” “it,” “him,” “her,” and “his.” When dealing with indefinite pronouns like “everyone,” “someone,” “anyone,” “nobody,” and “each,” it’s important to use singular pronouns.
Example:
– Incorrect: Everyone must bring their own lunch.
– Correct: Everyone must bring his or her own lunch.
In the correct sentence, “his or her” agrees with the singular antecedent “everyone.”
Plural Pronouns
Plural pronouns must refer to plural antecedents. Common plural pronouns include “they,” “them,” “their,” and “theirs.”
Example:
– Incorrect: The dogs lost its collars.
– Correct: The dogs lost their collars.
In the correct sentence, “their” agrees with the plural antecedent “dogs.”
Gender Agreement
Masculine Pronouns
Masculine pronouns such as “he,” “him,” and “his” should be used to refer to male antecedents.
Example:
– Incorrect: John forgot her book.
– Correct: John forgot his book.
In the correct sentence, “his” agrees with the masculine antecedent “John.”
Feminine Pronouns
Feminine pronouns such as “she,” “her,” and “hers” should be used to refer to female antecedents.
Example:
– Incorrect: Mary forgot his book.
– Correct: Mary forgot her book.
In the correct sentence, “her” agrees with the feminine antecedent “Mary.”
Neutral Pronouns
The pronoun “it” should be used to refer to objects, animals (when gender is unknown or irrelevant), and abstract concepts.
Example:
– Incorrect: The cat licked their paw.
– Correct: The cat licked its paw.
In the correct sentence, “its” agrees with the neutral antecedent “cat.”
Person Agreement
Pronouns must also agree in person with their antecedents. The three persons in English are the first person (I, we), the second person (you), and the third person (he, she, it, they).
First Person
First-person pronouns refer to the speaker or speakers.
Example:
– Incorrect: I must finish their project.
– Correct: I must finish my project.
In the correct sentence, “my” agrees with the first-person antecedent “I.”
Second Person
Second-person pronouns refer to the person or people being spoken to.
Example:
– Incorrect: You must complete his assignment.
– Correct: You must complete your assignment.
In the correct sentence, “your” agrees with the second-person antecedent “you.”
Third Person
Third-person pronouns refer to the person or people being spoken about.
Example:
– Incorrect: She must bring their notebook.
– Correct: She must bring her notebook.
In the correct sentence, “her” agrees with the third-person antecedent “she.”
Common Pronoun Agreement Mistakes
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns such as “team,” “family,” “group,” and “committee” can be tricky because they refer to a group of individuals but are often treated as singular entities.
Example:
– Incorrect: The team lost their game.
– Correct: The team lost its game.
In the correct sentence, “its” agrees with the singular collective noun “team.”
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns like “everyone,” “someone,” “anyone,” “nobody,” and “each” are singular and should be paired with singular pronouns.
Example:
– Incorrect: Each of the students must submit their report.
– Correct: Each of the students must submit his or her report.
In the correct sentence, “his or her” agrees with the singular indefinite pronoun “each.”
Gender-Neutral Language
In recent years, there has been a push towards using gender-neutral language to avoid assumptions about gender. One common solution is to use the singular “they.”
Example:
– Correct: Each student must submit their report.
In this sentence, “their” is used as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun to agree with the singular antecedent “each student.”
Strategies for Achieving Pronoun Agreement
Identify the Antecedent
The first step in achieving pronoun agreement is to clearly identify the antecedent. This will help you determine the correct pronoun to use.
Example:
– Incorrect: When the teacher saw the students, they were happy.
– Correct: When the teacher saw the students, he or she was happy.
In the correct sentence, “he or she” clarifies that the teacher (singular) was happy, not the students (plural).
Revise for Clarity
If a sentence becomes awkward or unclear due to pronoun agreement, consider revising it for clarity.
Example:
– Awkward: Each employee should bring his or her lunch to work.
– Revised: Employees should bring their lunches to work.
The revised sentence uses a plural antecedent and pronoun for clarity and simplicity.
Avoid Ambiguity
Ensure that the pronoun clearly refers to a specific antecedent to avoid ambiguity.
Example:
– Incorrect: When Jane gave Sarah her book, she thanked her.
– Correct: When Jane gave Sarah her book, Sarah thanked Jane.
In the correct sentence, using the proper nouns “Sarah” and “Jane” eliminates ambiguity.
Practice Exercises
To reinforce your understanding of pronoun agreement, try the following exercises.
Exercise 1: Identify the Correct Pronoun
Choose the correct pronoun to complete each sentence.
1. Every student must bring _______ own pencil.
– a) their
– b) his or her
– c) its
2. The committee reached _______ decision.
– a) their
– b) its
– c) his or her
3. Neither of the boys brought _______ lunch.
– a) their
– b) his
– c) its
Answers:
1. b) his or her
2. b) its
3. b) his
Exercise 2: Correct the Pronoun Agreement
Rewrite each sentence to correct the pronoun agreement error.
1. Each of the players must bring their own equipment.
2. If anyone needs help, they can ask the teacher.
3. The family is having their picture taken.
Answers:
1. Each of the players must bring his or her own equipment.
2. If anyone needs help, he or she can ask the teacher.
3. The family is having its picture taken.
Conclusion
Mastering pronoun agreement is essential for clear and effective communication in English. By ensuring that pronouns agree with their antecedents in number, gender, and person, you can avoid common mistakes and improve your writing and speaking skills. Remember to identify the antecedent, revise for clarity, and avoid ambiguity to achieve correct pronoun agreement. With practice and attention to detail, you can become proficient in using pronouns accurately and confidently.
