Pronoun-antecedent agreement means that a pronoun must agree in number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter) with the noun or pronoun it refers to, called the antecedent. This is crucial for clear and grammatically correct writing. In AP English, mastering this concept elevates the sophistication and clarity of your essays and analyses. Advanced practice involves identifying complex sentence structures where agreement errors are easily overlooked.
For example, consider: "Each student should bring their textbook." Here, "their" is incorrect because "each student" is singular. The correct sentence is: "Each student should bring his or her textbook." Understanding and correcting these subtle errors are key to success in AP English.
Match the term with its correct definition:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| 1. Antecedent | A. A word that takes the place of a noun |
| 2. Pronoun | B. The noun to which a pronoun refers |
| 3. Agreement | C. Corresponding in number and gender |
| 4. Singular | D. Referring to one item |
| 5. Plural | E. Referring to more than one item |
Complete the paragraph with the correct pronouns:
Every student in the AP English class prepared ________ presentation diligently. When it was ________ turn, Maria presented ________ research on Shakespeare's sonnets. The class found ________ insights fascinating. Each student took notes in ________ notebook. It was clear that ________ efforts paid off.
Explain why pronoun-antecedent agreement is important in academic writing and how it contributes to the overall clarity and credibility of an argument.
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