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A pronoun is a word used to stand for (or take the place of) a noun.
Example:
We do not talk or write this way. Automatically, we replace the noun Lincoln's with a pronoun. More
naturally, we say
The pronoun his refers back to President Lincoln. President Lincoln is the ANTECEDENT for the pronoun
his.
Rule: A singular pronoun must replace a singular noun; a plural pronoun must replace a plural noun.
Here are nine pronoun-antecedent agreement rules. These rules are related to the rules found in
subject-verb agreement.
1. A phrase or clause between the subject and verb does not change the number of the antecedent.
Example:
Example:
Example:
Some indefinite pronouns that are modified by a prepositional phrase may be either singular or plural.
Examples:
Examples:
Marbles are countable; therefore, the sentence has a plural referent pronoun.
Jewels are countable; therefore, the sentence has a plural referent pronoun.
Example:
4. With compound subjects joined by or/nor, the referent pronoun agrees with the antecedent closer to
the pronoun.
Note: Example #1, with the plural antecedent closer to the pronoun, creates a smoother sentence
than example #2, which forces the use of the singular "his or her."
5. Collective Nouns (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) may be singular or plural, depending on meaning.
In this example, the jury is acting as one unit; therefore, the referent pronoun is singular.
In this example, the jury members are acting as twelve individuals; therefore, the referent
pronoun is plural.
In this example, the jury members are acting as twelve individuals; therefore, the referent
pronoun is plural.
6. Titles of single entities. (books, organizations, countries, etc.) take a singular referent.
EXAMPLES:
7. Plural form subjects with a singular meaning take a singular referent. (news, measles, mumps,
physics, etc)
EXAMPLE:
EXAMPLES:
A number of is plural.