How to Write Sentences with Correct Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement: Examples & Tips

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🔍 Pronoun: A word that replaces a noun (e.g., he, she, it, they).
• 💡 Antecedent: The noun that the pronoun refers to.
• 📝 Agreement: The pronoun must agree in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine/neutral) with its antecedent.
• 📌 Singular Antecedents: Use singular pronouns (he, she, it, him, her, his, hers, its). Example: *The dog wagged its tail.*
• 👥 Plural Antecedents: Use plural pronouns (they, them, their, theirs). Example: *The students completed their assignments.*
• 🤝 Compound Antecedents joined by 'and': Generally plural. Example: *John and Mary went to their favorite restaurant.*
• 🤔 Compound Antecedents joined by 'or' or 'nor': The pronoun agrees with the antecedent closest to it. Example: *Neither John nor his brothers finished their homework.*
• 🌐 Indefinite Pronouns (each, everyone, someone, etc.): Generally singular. Example: *Everyone should bring his or her own lunch.* (Or, to be more inclusive: *Everyone should bring their own lunch.*)

Practice Quiz

1. Which sentence demonstrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?
   1. The cat licked their paw.
   2. The cats licked its paw.
   3. The cat licked its paw.
   4. The cats licked her paw.
2. Everyone should bring ______ own lunch.
   1. his
   2. her
   3. their
   4. it's
3. Neither John nor his sisters finished ______ project.
   1. his
   2. her
   3. its
   4. their
4. The team celebrated ______ victory.
   1. its
   2. their
   3. it's
   4. there
5. Mary and Tom went to ______ favorite cafe.
   1. her
   2. his
   3. its
   4. their
6. Each student must submit ______ own work.
   1. their
   2. his or her
   3. it's
   4. there
7. The company announced ______ new policy.
   1. their
   2. it's
   3. its
   4. there