What is an antecedent?

An antecedent is a noun or pronoun to which another noun or pronoun refers. It usually goes before
the pronoun ("ante" means before).

Example #1

Even though the party was fun, it was crowded.

Reasoning: "It" is the pronoun because it refers to the noun "party." And "party" is the antecedent because
"party" is the noun to which "it," the pronoun, refers.

Example #2

People often like parties because they get to see old friends.
Reasoning: "They" refers to "people" and is, therefore, the pronoun. "People" is the antecedent because
"people" is the noun to which "they" refers.

What is pronoun-antecedent agreement?

Pronoun antecedent agreement is when the pronoun agrees in number (referring to singular or
plural) and person (referring to first, second, or third person) with its antecedent.

HOT GRAMMAR TIP

When you check your own sentences to determine if the pronouns agree with their antecedents in both number and person, look
first for what the antecedent is. Then match the antecedent with a pronoun that is consistent in number. For example, if the pronoun
is singular, the antecedent should also be singular. Then identify the person of the antecedent (first, second, or third person), and
then match the pronouns in person.

Example #1 (Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement - Number)

When an employee does not agree with their plural boss's decision, the employee singular should not support
that decision.
Reasoning: This sentence contains an antecedent and a pronoun. Since the antecedent (employee) is singular
and the pronoun (their) is plural, the pronoun disagrees with the antecedent, thus containing a pronoun-
antecedent agreement error. You can correct this in one of two ways: either make both the pronoun and
antecedent singular, or make both the pronoun and antecedent plural.

Example #1 (Corrected)

When an employee does not agree with his singular boss's decision, the employee singular should not support
that decision.

Example #2 (Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement - Person)

Everyone singular should make their plural own decision.

Reasoning: This sentence contains an antecedent (everyone) and a pronoun (their). Since the antecedent is
third person and singular (everyone), the pronoun (they) should also be third person and singular; instead,
"they" is third person and plural.

Example #2 (Corrected)

Everyone singular should make his or her singular own decision.

Demonstrative Pronouns
These pronouns are used to demonstrate (or
indicate). This, that, these and those are all demonstrative pronouns.

Examples:
 This is the one I left in the car.
(In this example, the speaker could be indicating to a mobile phone, in
which case, the pronoun this replaces the words mobile phone.)
 Shall I take those?
More on demonstrative pronouns...

Indefinite Pronouns
Unlike demonstrative pronouns, which point out specific items, indefinite
pronouns are used for non-specific things. This is the largest group of
pronouns. All, some, any, several, anyone, nobody, each, both, few, either, non
e, one and no one are the most common.

Example:
 Somebody must have seen the driver leave.
(somebody – not a specific person)

 We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

(Oscar Wilde)
 I have nothing to declare except my genius. (Oscar Wilde)
More on indefinite pronouns...

Interrogative Pronouns
These pronouns are used in questions. Although they are classified as
pronouns, it is not easy to see how they replace
nouns. Who, which, what, where and how are all interrogative pronouns.

Example:
 Who told you to do that?
 Which dog won the race?
More on interrogative pronouns...

Personal Pronouns
The personal pronouns are I, you, he, she, it, we, they, and who. More often than
not (but not exclusively), they replace nouns representing people. When most
people think of pronouns, it is the personal pronouns that usually spring to
mind.

Example:
 We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and
clap as they go by.
 I bought some batteries, but they weren't included.
More on personal pronouns...

Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns are used to show possession. As they are used as
adjectives, they are also known as possessive
adjectives. My, your, his, her, its, our and their are all possessive pronouns.
 Have you seen her book?
(In this example, the pronoun her replaces a word like Sarah's.)
More on possessive pronouns...

Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns are used to add more information to a
sentence. Which, that, who (including whom and whose) and where are all
relative pronouns.

Examples:
 Dr Adam Sissons, who lectured at Cambridge for more than 12
years, should have known the difference.
(In this example, the relative pronoun who introduces the clause who
studied at Cambridge for 12 years and refers back to Dr Adams Sissons.)

 The man who first saw the comet reported it as a UFO.

 (In this example, the relative pronoun who introduces the clause who
first saw the comet and refers back to the man.)
More on relative pronouns...

Absolute Possessive Pronouns

These pronouns also show possession. Unlike possessive pronouns (see
above), which are adjectives to nouns, these pronouns sit by
themselves. Mine, yours, his, hers, ours and theirs are all absolute possessive
pronouns.

Examples:
 The tickets are as good as ours.
 Shall we take yours or theirs?
More on absolute possessives...

Reciprocal Pronouns
Reciprocal pronouns are used for actions or feelings that are reciprocated. The
two most common reciprocal pronouns are each other and one another.

Examples:
 They like one another.
 They talk to each other like they're babies.
More on reciprocal pronouns...

Reflexive Pronouns
A reflexive pronoun ends ...self or ...selves and refers to another noun or
pronoun in the sentence (usually the subject of the sentence). The reflexive
pronouns
aremyself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves and themselv
es.

Examples:
 The dog bit itself.
 (In this example, the intensive pronoun itself refers back to the
noun the dog.)
 Are you talking to yourself?
More on reflexive pronouns...

Intensive (or Emphatic) Pronouns

An intensive pronoun (sometimes called an emphatic pronoun) refers back to
another noun or pronoun in the sentence to emphasize it (e.g., to emphasize
that it is the thing carrying out the action).

Examples:
 John bakes all the bread himself.
(In this example, the intensive pronoun himself refers back to the
noun John.)
 The cat opened the door itself.