HMCS Max Bernays Pre-Deployment Brief (May 2024).pptx
pronoun_-_antecedent_agreement.ppt
1. Pronoun - Antecedent
Agreement
“I don’t like to read about myself, but it’s not like I’m some
superstar who has stuff written about them all the time.” --
Mandy Moore, on her status as a celebrity
“Mandy, you’ve got bigger problems than the tabloids.” –
Mrs. Manny Brown
2. Pronoun – Antecedent
Agreement
A pronoun is a word that takes the place
of a noun.
An antecedent is the noun to which the
pronoun refers.
Pronouns must agree with their
antecedents in number and gender.
3. Troubleshooting:
Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific
persons or things.
Even though many indefinite pronouns seem
plural, they are treated as singular in
standard written English.
Indefinite Pronouns: anybody, anyone,
anything, each, either, everybody, everyone,
everything, neither, nobody, no one, somebody,
someone, something
4. Troubleshooting:
Indefinite Pronouns
Incorrect: Everyone is responsible for their
learning.
Here, the indefinite pronoun everyone is paired
with the plural pronoun their.
Correct: Everyone is responsible for his/her
learning.
Correct: All students are responsible for their
learning.
Correct: One is responsible for one’s own learning.
Correct: The responsibility for learning falls
squarely on the shoulders of the student.
5. Troubleshooting: Generic
Nouns
Generic nouns represent a typical
member of a group.
Treat generic nouns as singular, and use
singular pronouns in reference to generic
nouns.
6. Troubleshooting: Generic
Nouns
Incorrect: A circus clown must be both frightening and
funny if they are to be successful on the carnival circuit.
Here, the generic noun a circus clown is incorrectly
referred to with a plural pronoun.
Correct: Circus clowns must be both frightening and
funny if they are to be successful on the carnival circuit.
Correct: A circus clown must be both frightening and
funny if he/she is to be successful on the carnival
circuit.
Correct: A circus clown must be both frightening and
funny to succeed on the carnival circuit.
7. Troubleshooting:
Collective Nouns
Collective nouns name a class or group.
Most of the time, the group functions as a unit,
and so should be treated as singular.
If, however, the members of the group are
acting as individuals, treat the collective noun
as plural.
Please don’t ever correct a citizen of the UK.
You will sound like a bonehead. They have a
different rule on this one than we do.
8. Collective Nouns as a Unit
Incorrect: The jury gave their verdict to
the judge.
Here, the jury is acting as a unit;
therefore, the plural pronoun their is not
appropriate.
Correct: The jury gave its verdict to the
judge.
9. Collective Nouns as
Individuals
Incorrect: The jury groaned when it was
told it would be sequestered.
It’s not probable that the jury groaned in
unison; rather, each member probably
groaned individually. So, the singular
pronoun it isn’t correct.
Correct: The jury groaned when they
were told they would be sequestered.
10. Troubleshooting:
Compound Antecedents
Treat compound antecedents joined with
and as plural
Example: When Kim and Tim get phone
calls, they sometimes have a difficult time
discerning for whom the caller is asking.
Kim and Tim is a compound antecedent
joined with and, so the plural pronoun
they is appropriate.
11. Troubleshooting:
Compound Antecedents
Compound antecedents joined with or or
nor should use a pronoun that agrees
with the nearer antecedent.
Example: Either Amy or Julie will loan
her purse to Cassi.
Example: Neither the President nor the
advisors could make their speeches
coherent.
12. Troubleshooting:
Compound Antecedents
When one antecedent is male and the other
female, do not use a gender-specific pronoun.
It won’t make sense.
Incorrect: Either Kim or Tim should receive a
prize for his hard work on the project.
The best solution is to recast the sentence to
avoid the problem.
Correct: A prize for hard work on the project
should go to either Kim or Tim.
13. Practice
If a driver refuses to take a blood test, he
or she will have their license suspended
for six months.
The National Rifle Association argues
that current gun laws should be enforced.
In the past, however, they have opposed
nearly all legislation affecting guns.
14. Practice
Eight highly qualified firefighters applied
for the forestry position in Durango, each
hoping for a career move that would
allow them to hone their skills in battling
and preventing forest fires.
15. Practice
If anyone notices any suspicious activity,
they should report it to the police.
Why should we care about the timber
wolf? One answer is that they have
proven beneficial to humans by killing off
weakened prey.