Pronoun / Antecedent Agreement

1. Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

2. Definitions • Pronoun = word that refers to another noun (he, she, it, they, my, your, etc.) • Antecedent = noun to which the pronoun refers. Sally (Ant.) drank her (Pro.) milk slowly.

3. Rule 1 • A pronoun should agree in number, gender, and person with its antecedent.

4. Agreement in Number • Singular: Sammy Davis Jr. made his movie debut in 1931. • Plural: The hikers took their canteens with them.

5. Agreement in Gender • Gender Pronouns: he, him, his, himself, she, her, hers, herself • Neither Masculine nor Feminine: it, its, and itself

6. Agreement in Person • First: I need a transcript of my grades. • Second: Have you fastened your seat belt? • Third:Hesaid they made theirown costumes. • Third person can be singular or plural • Singular = he/him/his, she/her/hers • Plural = they/their

7. Rule 2 • Using indefinite pronouns as part of the antecedent may require a single or plural pronoun, or sometimes could use either, depending on meaning. • Indefinite pronouns in antecedent = single, plural, or both

8. Chart of Indefinite Pronouns

9. Examples using indefinite pronouns • Singular example: • Eachof the boys brought his own mitt. • If the antecedent may be either gender, use both. • EX: Any interested person may send his or her resume. • Plural example • Bothof the debaters persuasively presented their arguments. • Both example • Someof the students did their homework. • Allof the sugar fell out of its bag.

10. Rule 3 • Use a plural pronoun to refer to two or more antecedents joined by “and”. • If Joann and Ben call, tell them that I will not be home until this evening. • Antecedents joined by “and” may name only one person, place, thing, or idea • The corned beef and cabbage was delicious; I ate two servings of it.

11. Rule 4 • Use a singular pronoun to refer to two or more singular antecedents joined by orornor. • Neither Cindy nor Carla thinks she is ready to audition.

12. Practice • Exercise 13 page 538 1-10: Write the pronoun that completes the sentence

13. Problems with Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

14. Rule #5 • A collective noun can be either singular or plural, depending on how it is used • Singular: refers to the group as a unit • The committee comprised three juniors and two seniors; its chairperson was Angelo. [Angelo was chairperson of the committee as unit] • Plural: refers to the individual members or part of the group • The committee discussed their varied schedules. [The members of the committee had different schedules.]

15. Rule #6 • Some antecedents require singular pronouns, even though they look plural Civics Measles Molasses Economics Mumps Electronics NewsGenetics Physics Gymnastics Summons Mathematics • I’m looking forward to studying physics next year; it is my favorite subject.

16. Rule #6 Cont. • Some nouns take plural pronouns even when they refer to single items Binoculars Pants Shears Eyeglasses Pliers Shorts Olympics SlacksScissors • Whenever the Olympics are held, they attract athletes from all over the world. • I have misplaced my eyeglasses. Have you seen them?

17. Rule #7 • An expression of an amount (a measurement, a percentage, or a fraction) may be singular or plural, depending on how it is used. • Five thousand bricks is a heavy load; it almost ruined the truck’s suspension. [The bricks are thought of a unit (one load)] • Two thirds of the apples are rotten; they should be thrown out. [The fraction refers to the plural noun apples]

18. Practice • Pg. 539 Exercise H: EVEN NUMBERS ONLY • You do NOT have to write the whole sentence • EVERY sentence has an error.

19. Pronoun Case and Reference

20. Definition • Case: the form that a noun or a pronoun takes to show its relationship to other words in a sentence • Nominative/Subjective (subject of sentence) • Objective (object of sentence) • Possessive (showing possession)

21. Examples • The general explained the strategy [nominative subject]. • The strategy was explained by the general[objective object]. • The general’s explanation was both clear and concise [possessive].

22. Copy chart on pg. 548 of your textbook into your notes

23. Rule 1 • Nominative Case is used when the pronoun is the subject of the verb. • We ordered the concert tickets [We is the subject of the verb ordered]. • Tip: find the verb first, to decide what pronoun is in the nominative case.

24. Rule 2 • A personal pronoun used as a predicate nominative usually completes the meaning of a form of the verb “be”: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, or being • The chairperson of the prom committee is she. • The one who made the comment was I. • Tip: find the “be” verb first, then the pronoun that follows.

25. Rule 3 • A direct and indirect object should be in the objective case. • My pen pal from Manila visited me last summer. • The coach awarded her a varsity letter. • Tip: remember that the object of a sentence answers the question “who?” as well as “to whom?” or “for whom?”

26. Rule 4 • Possessive pronouns can be used in the same ways as nominative and objective. • Your car and mine need to be washed [nominative]. • Mrs. Fong takes hers for a walk twice a day [objective].

27. Rule 5 • A pronoun ending in –self or –selves should not be used in place of a personal pronoun • Did Rosa make lunch for herself and yourself[incorrect]? • Did Rosa make lunch for herself and you[correct]? • Tip: Remove the other –self or –selves pronoun, and see what makes sense,

28. Rule 6 • Who vs. whom • “Who” is always a subject and is followed by a verb. • “Whom” is an object

29. Examples • Whowants some key lime pie? • Nortel hiredwhom? • She works for whom? • Notice that “whom” may come after a verb or a preposition.

30. Tricks for deciding • If you could substitute “he/she” and the sentence makes sense, use who. • If you could substitute “him/her” and the sentence makes sense, use whom. • Hewants some key lime pie?  Who wants some key lime pie? • Nortel hired her?  Nortel hired whom? • She works for him? She works for whom?

31. Practice Label the pronoun as nominative, objective, or possessive. • I passed the class. • The teacher gave us homework. • The book is theirs. • You and Ishould go to the movie.

32. Practice Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun OR who/whom. • With ______ did you go to tolo? (who/whom) • ______ told you that rumor? (who/whom) • Is this Ms. Eaton? Yes, this is ______. (she/her)

33. Practice Fix the error in the following sentences • Did you and her fight? • You and me should go to the movie. • Me and him snorkeled. • Us skiers love cocoa. • Her and Ryan are engaged.