OBSERVE THE ERRORS IN THE

FOLLOWING SENTENCES:
1. They is going to the store.
2. Gerald are a great cheater
3. I are happy to hear the news that
everyone passed the exam.
 PRONOUN-
ANTECEDENT
AGREEMENT
 Objectives
A. identify pronouns and their
antecedents;
B. explain the importance of pronoun-
antecedent rules;
C. correct errors in sentences using
pronoun-antecedent agreement; and
D. construct sentences applying the
proper pronoun-antecedent agreement.
A pronoun is a word used to stand
for (or take the place) of a noun.

An antecedent is a word for

which a pronoun stands.
Mother Earth delivered
Mother earth’s speech to
mankind.
Mother Earth delivered
her speech to mankind.
The teachers finished
their lessons.

The teacher finished

his/her lesson.
The students went to their
respective classrooms.

The student went to his/her

classroom.
 9 PRONOUN-
ANTECEDENT
RULES
1. A phrase or a clause between the
subject and verb does not change the
number of antecedent.

An array of trees stands on its ground.

A box of cigarettes burned on its

frame.
A shelf of books break its
stand.

A file of notebooks
scattered its line.
2. Indefinite pronoun as
antecedents.
• Singular indefinite pronoun
antecedents take singular
pronoun referents.
each, either, neither, one, no one, nobody, nothing,
anyone, anybody, anything, someone, somebody,
something, everyone, everybody and everything

Each of the birds flies toward its

nest.
No one of the members
gets his/her prize.

Anyone of the team

members find his/her slot.
• Plural indefinite pronoun
antecedents require plural
referents.

Several, few, both, many

Both flowers bend their

stems toward the sun.
Several students
passed their exams.

Few of the girls met

their boyfriends.
 • Some indefinite pronouns that
are modified by a
prepositional phrase may be
either singular or plural.

Some, any, none, all, most

When the object of the preposition

is uncountable use a singular
referent pronoun.

Some of the waves reached its stop!

None of the clouds appear in
its form.

All the gravels spread in its

container.
When the object of the
preposition is countable use a
plural referent pronoun.

Some of the animals were saved

by their owners.

All Grade-10 students failed in

their English subject.
3. Compound subjects joined
by and always take a plural
referent.

The lion and the tiger run for

their lives as the hunters chase
them.
The bird and chicken find
their place.

Jannet and Aivan go to

their classroom.
4. With compound subjects joined by
or/nor, the referent pronoun agrees
with the antecedent closer to the
pronoun.

Neither the dog nor the cats escaped

their stalkers.(plural closer to the
pronoun)

Neither the cats nor the dog escaped

its stalkers (Singular closer to the
pronoun)
5. Collective nouns (group, jury,
crowd, and team) may be singular
or plural depending on meaning.

A flock of birds made its nest on

the tallest tree.

The troop members run toward

their prey.
6. Titles of single entities (books,
organizations, counties, etc.) take
a singular referent.

The Philippines is proud of its

natural resources.

Batang Quiapo launched its first

pilot episode.
7. Plural form of subjects with a
singular meaning take a singular
referent (news, measles, mumps,
physics)

The news about the forest fires

has lost its rage a few days after.
The measles spreads its
virus in the entire
Grade-10 classrooms.

The physics subject is

difficult on its content.
8. Every or Many a before a noun
or a series of nouns requires a
singular referent.

Every cow, pig and horse has lost

its life in the fire.

Many a fish dreams to swim its

trail along the clear waters.
Every mother, father and child
loves his/her kinship.

Many a frog wants to extend

its feet in the ground.
9. The number of vs A number of before a
subject:

The number of is singular.

The number of conserved wildlife habitats

increases its number each year.

A number of is plural.

A number of conserved wildlife habitats

increases its number each year.
The number of wild animals
were saved from its huntsmen.

A number of wild animals were

saved from their huntsmen.
.
A. Choose the appropriate pronoun to be
used in the sentence.

1. No matter how hard she tried, Meryl

could not find (his/her) briefcase.
2. Jillian, Paula, and Mia were
surprised when (its, their) escorts did
not arrive on time.
3. Neither two dogs nor the cat
received (its, their) foods.
4. A runner must train
regularly if (he or she, they)
want to run the marathon.
5. The audiences clapped (its,
their) hands.
B. Fill the missing pronoun in
each sentence.
1. A person who
follows__________ ideals may
find life difficult but rewarding.
2. Marga and Cassie portrayed
_______ roles very well.
3. The Philippines cherishes
_________ democracy.
4. Either Ms. Pina Asa or Ms.
Dina Tuto will get _______
award as outstanding lover.
5. The number of blood donors
increases _____ count every
year.
C. Make the pronoun agree
with its antecedent. Rewrite
the sentence.
1. The car would not stop
because their brakes failed.
2. Joan and Jim moved to the
mountains where he or she
built a cabin.
3. The measles has spread their
symptoms within the infected
body.
4. A number of volunteers offered
its time and effort for the noble
cause.
5. The Department of Education
implemented their newly-made
policy.
D. Encircle the pronouns and underline
the antecedents. Write your last name
if the pronoun agrees with the
antecedent and write your first name if
not.
_______1. Either President Marcos or
the senators will have to give his
approval of the emergency.
_______2. Mr. Gonzales finished her
exams.
_______3. The can of brown
beans sits on their shelf.
_______4. Both employees did
their duties.
_______5. Some of the sugar
fell out of its bag.
ASSIGNMENT
Direction: Construct 10
sentences observing the proper
pronoun-antecedent agreement.