using pronoun-antecedent agreement what is pronoun-antecedent agreement? indefinite pronouns...
TRANSCRIPT
Using Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Indefinite pronounsCompound antecedentsSolving special agreement problems
Collective nounsPlural formsTitlesRelative pronounsExpressions of amount
Review A
Review B
When a pronoun and its antecedent do not agree, listeners and readers become lost.
PronounPronoun
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
You may have heard that it is rude to point, but that’s exactly what pronouns do.
Nicole was glad that she had brought her camera.
Antecedent
A pronoun “points” to a noun or another pronoun called its antecedent.
Nicole was glad that she had brought her camera.
Antecedent
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
A pronoun should agree in both number and gender with its antecedent.
lion
A word that refers to one thing is singular.
Singular nose she
A word that refers to more than one is plural.
Plural lions noses they
Singularpronoun
Use singular pronouns to refer to singular antecedents.
Break one egg and fry it.
Singularantecedent
Break one egg and fry it. Break one egg and fry it.
Singular Personal Pronouns
I me my, mine
you you your, yours
he, she, it him, her, it his, hers, its
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
Pluralpronoun
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Number
Use plural pronouns to refer to plural antecedents.
Cut two slices and toast them.
Pluralantecedent
Cut two slices and toast them. Cut two slices and toast them.
Plural Personal Pronouns
we us our, ours
you you your, yours
they them their, theirs
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Gender
Some singular pronouns indicate gender.
Masculine
he
him
his
himself
• Masculine pronouns refer to males.
• Feminine pronouns refer to females.
• Neuter pronouns refer to places, things, ideas, and animals.
Feminine
she
her
her, hers
herself
Neuter
it
it
its
itself
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement? Person
Person indicates whether a pronoun refers to
• the one(s) speaking
I promised myself that I would clean my room.
first person
• the one(s) spoken to
Do you have your library card with you?
second person
• the one(s) spoken about
They built their new house themselves.
third person
What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?
[End of Section]
The following sentences contain errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each error, and give the form of the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.
1. Two girls won a prize for her project.
2. Although we drove through the mountains, we could not see it because of the fog.
3. If he calls this afternoon, tell he that I’ll call back.
4. My cousin’s house has two fireplaces in them.
5. The children forgot to put on its jackets.
On Your Own
Indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to a person or thing whose exact identity is unknown.
• Some indefinite pronouns are singular.
• Some are plural.
• Some may be either singular or plural depending on how they are used.
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are singular:
Singular Indefinite Pronouns
anybody either neither one
anyone everybody nobody somebody
anything everyone no one someone
each everything nothing something
Each of the birds had completed its nest. Everybody on the boys’ team has his racket.One of the women waved to her children.
Indefinite pronouns do not indicate gender. Often a word in a phrase following the indefinite pronoun will tell you the gender.
Indefinite pronouns
Each of the women runs her own business.
When you do not know the gender of the antecedent, use both the masculine and feminine pronouns connected by or.
No one remembered to bring his or her permission slip.
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are plural:
Plural Indefinite Pronouns
both few many several
If many are cracked, discard them.
Few of the passengers waited by themselves.
Both of the babies closed their eyes.
Plural
Singular
Indefinite pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns may be singular or plural, depending on how they are used:
Singular or Plural Indefinite Pronouns
all more none
any most some
I deleted some of the document. Is there a way to recover it?
I deleted some of the documents. Is there a way to recover them?
Compound antecedents
A compound antecedent is two or more antecedents joined by and or or.
Wind
• Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by and.
Antecedent 1
and rain unleashed their fury on the land. Antecedent 2
Nina,Antecedent 1
andSandra, taught themselves.Antecedent 2
MayaAntecedent 3
Compound antecedents
Craig
• Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor.
Singular
or Keith will bring his camera.Singular
KateSingular
nor Ann said that she would help.Singular
Neither
Indefinite pronouns andcompound antecedents
[End of Section]
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns that do not agree with their antecedents. If a pronoun does not agree with its antecedent, provide the correct pronoun. If a sentence is already correct, write C.
1. One of the boys brought their basketball.
2. Hilda and Lupe presented her reports.
3. Either the puppy or the kitten lost their collar.
4. Everyone should wash their own dishes after lunch.
5. All the students worked hard to improve themselves.
On Your Own
Solving special agreement problems Collective nouns
A collective noun may be either singular or plural, depending on how the noun is used.
The tour group surprised its guide by presenting her with a lovely thank-you gift.
The guide surprised the tour group by presenting them with souvenirs.
• Use a singular pronoun when the noun refers to the group as a unit.
• Use a plural pronoun when the noun refers to parts of the group or to individual members.
I am taking physics now, and I find it challenging.
Solving special agreement problems Plural forms
Some nouns that are plural in form take singular pronouns.
There’s no more molasses in the jar. Did you use it?
Plural Forms That Take Singular Verbs
civics gymnastics molasses
economics linguistics mumps
electronics mathematics news
genetics measles physics
After you use my scissors, please put them back where you found them.
Solving special agreement problems Plural forms
When the Olympics were on television, did you watch them?
Some nouns that refer to single items take plural verbs.
binoculars pants shears
eyeglasses pliers slacks
Olympics scissors trousers
Solving special agreement problems Titles
Once I started watching Finders, I never missed an episode of it.
• Titles of a creative work—books, songs, movies, or paintings
Even when plural in form, these types of nouns take singular pronouns.
I don’t know the population of Grand Rapids, but it is the second-largest city in Michigan.
• Names of countries, cities, or organizations
The Veterans of Foreign Wars held its parade last Saturday.
Solving special agreement problems Relative pronouns
The gender and number of the relative pronoun that, which, or who is determined by the word to which the relative pronoun refers—its antecedent.
Enrique, who lives with his aunt and uncle, was born in Puerto Rico.
1. The relative pronoun who refers to Enrique.2. Enrique is a singular, masculine noun.3. The relative pronoun who takes a singular,
masculine pronoun, his.
Solving special agreement problemsExpressions of amount
An expression of amount (a measurement, percentage, or fraction) may be singular or plural, depending on how it is used.
• Use a singular pronoun when the amount is thought of as a unit.
• Use a plural pronoun when the amount is thought of as separate items.
The part costs fifty dollars, and I don’t have it.
He had dropped two dollars, so I picked them up for him.
Solving special agreement problemsExpressions of amount
A fraction or a percentage is• singular when it refers to a singular word.
One quarter of the pizza is left. Do you want to take it home?
• plural when it refers to a plural word.
One quarter of the slices are left. Do you want to take them home?
[End of Section]
On Your Own
Solving special agreement problems
Most of the following sentences contain pronouns that do not agree with their antecedents. If a pronoun does not agree with its antecedent, provide the correct pronoun. If a sentence is already correct, write C.
1. Did the Cub Scouts wear its hats during the ceremony?
2. The room, which had no decorations on their walls, looked very bare.
3. The team needs to make a decision about their mascot.
4. Measure two thirds of a cup of flour, and add it one spoonful at a time.
5. Locate the Netherlands on the map, and write the name of their capital city.
Review A
Complete each sentence by providing pronouns that agree with their antecedents.
1. I enjoyed the movie, but ________ was too long.
2. Some of the members did not cast ________ votes yet.
3. Everyone in the class brought _________ notebook.
4. The woman, who was walking ________ dogs in the park, asked to use my cell phone.
5. Either Brian or Charles will read _______ report first.
Review B
[End of Section]
1. If any of the oranges are left, please put it away.
2. The League of Women Voters will sponsor their annual debate for the candidates next week.
3. Mike bent the pliers and wasn’t able to straighten it.
4. One third of the field doesn’t have any crops planted in them.
5. Does anyone still need their locker combination?
The following sentences contain errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement. Identify each error, and give the form of the pronoun that agrees with its antecedent.
The End