Pronoun Agreement Examples in Complex ESL Sentences

📚 Pronoun Agreement in Complex ESL Sentences

Pronoun agreement means using pronouns that match the nouns they refer to in number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter). Complex sentences can make this confusing, but here's a breakdown:

• 🔍 Identify the Noun: First, find the noun the pronoun is replacing. This is called the antecedent.
• 💡 Check Number: Is the noun singular or plural? The pronoun must match (e.g., The student (singular) needs he/she/it; The students (plural) need they/them).
• 📝 Check Gender: Does the noun have a specific gender? Use the correct pronoun (e.g., John needs he/him; Mary needs she/her). If the gender is unknown or non-binary, use they/them.
• 🌍 Watch out for Collective Nouns: Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, committee) can be singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a unit or as individuals. If acting as a unit, use a singular pronoun (The team is playing its best.). If acting as individuals, use a plural pronoun (The team are arguing among themselves. - less common).
• 🧠 Beware of Intervening Phrases: Phrases between the noun and the pronoun can be distracting. Focus on the actual noun being replaced (e.g., The book, which is about animals, is on its cover.).

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which sentence has correct pronoun agreement?
   1. The dog wagged their tail.
   2. The dogs wagged its tail.
   3. The dog wagged its tail.
   4. The dogs wagged her tail.
2. The committee made _______ decision.
   1. their
   2. its
   3. her
   4. his
3. Every student should bring _______ own lunch.
   1. their
   2. his or her
   3. its
   4. her
4. Neither John nor Mary finished _______ assignment.
   1. his
   2. her
   3. their
   4. its
5. The company announced _______ new policy.
   1. their
   2. its
   3. his
   4. her
6. Someone left _______ keys on the table.
   1. his
   2. her
   3. their
   4. its
7. Each of the girls brought _______ favorite toy.
   1. her
   2. their
   3. its
   4. his