Pronoun-Antecedent

Agreement

Anantecedentis a word for

which a pronoun stands.
(ante= "before")

Rule:A singular pronoun must

replace a singular noun; a
plural pronoun must replace a
plural noun.

 The window was shut tightly,

it would not budge.

The yellow car was having
brakes replaced.
The doctors explained the
treatment, but
remarks
were not reassuring.

Nine pronoun-antecedent
agreement rules

1.Aphraseorclause
between the subject and
verbdoes not change the
number ofthe antecedent.

Because the members of

the chemistry class did

poorly on the exam, ____ had
to take a make-up exam.
The cups of tea are sitting in

saucers.

2.Indefinite pronounsas
antecedents
Singular indefinite pronoun

antecedents take singular pronoun

referents.

Neither Mrs. Howard nor Mrs.

Koppe gave her students a

detention for dress code
violations.
Each of the men found _____

inundated with work.

Nobody understood what ____ had

to do to succeed in the course.

antecedents require plural

referents.
PLURAL:several, few, both,
many

oth did a good job in their offic

Plur
al

Plur
al

Some indefinite pronouns that are modified by a

prepositional phrasemay be either singular or plural.
EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL:some, any, none, all, most

Both girls must provide their

email addresses.
All the nailsarespilled on

the floor from

case.

All the paintisdried up in

can.

3.Compound subjects
joined byandalways take
apluralreferent.

4. Withcompound subjects
joined byor/nor,the referent
pronoun agrees with the
antecedent closer to the
pronoun.

Sara and Jane rode

bicycles at 2:00 today.

Neither the pilot nor the
attendants gave
opinion about mishap.
Have Frank and Brian
finished
project?

Quiz

jury, crowd, team, etc.) may be

singular or plural,depending on
meaning.

Staff are asked to go to the

conference room
immediately for their
meeting.
The association was granted

charter by the state.

The association debated

6.Titles of single
entities.(books, organizations,
countries, etc.) take a
singularreferent.

The Washington team

was opportunistic, took

advantage of every
break.

7.Plural form subjects with

a singular meaningtake a
singular referent.(news,
measles, mumps, physics, etc)

Once again, the governor

said, politics rears

head.

ugly

Economics is a

complicated topic, has a

lot of terms to memorize.

8.EveryorMany abefore a
noun or a series of nouns
requires a singular referent.

Every girl must bring

_____ own books.

Every mother loves
child.

9.Thenumber ofvsA
number ofbefore a subject:
The number ofis

singular.

A number ofis plural.