Grammar Agreement Questions Long
Pronoun-antecedent agreement is a grammatical concept that refers to the agreement between a pronoun and its antecedent in terms of number, gender, and person. The antecedent is the noun or pronoun that the pronoun refers to or replaces in a sentence.
In order to maintain proper pronoun-antecedent agreement, the pronoun must match the antecedent in terms of number. This means that if the antecedent is singular, the pronoun must also be singular, and if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be plural as well. For example:
- Incorrect: Each student should bring their own textbook. (singular antecedent, plural pronoun)
- Correct: Each student should bring his or her own textbook. (singular antecedent, singular pronoun)
In addition to number agreement, pronouns must also agree with their antecedents in terms of gender. This means that if the antecedent is masculine, the pronoun used to refer to it should be masculine, and if the antecedent is feminine, the pronoun should be feminine. For example:
- Incorrect: Every student should do her best. (gender mismatch)
- Correct: Every student should do his or her best. (gender-neutral or both genders included)
Lastly, pronouns must agree with their antecedents in terms of person. This means that if the antecedent is in the first person (I, we), the pronoun should also be in the first person. If the antecedent is in the second person (you), the pronoun should be in the second person, and if the antecedent is in the third person (he, she, it, they), the pronoun should be in the third person. For example:
- Incorrect: The teacher said you should complete their homework. (person mismatch)
- Correct: The teacher said you should complete your homework. (person agreement)
In summary, pronoun-antecedent agreement is the grammatical rule that ensures pronouns match their antecedents in terms of number, gender, and person. By following this rule, clarity and coherence are maintained in writing.