Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT
AGREEMENT
Pronoun- Antecedent Agreement
A pronoun is a word used to
stand for (or take the place
of) a noun.
A word can refer to an earlier
noun or pronoun in the
sentence.
Example:
Mother Earth delivered Mother earth’s
speech to mankind.
We do not talk or write this way.
Automatically, we replace the noun
Mother Earth’s with a pronoun. More
naturally, we say
Mother Earth delivered her speech to
mankind.
The pronoun her refers back to
Mother Earth. Mother Earth is
the ANTECEDENT of the
pronoun her.
An antecedent is a word for which a
pronoun stands. (ante = “before”)
The pronoun must agree with its
antecedent in number.
Rule: A singular pronoun must replace a singular
noun; a plural pronoun must replace a plural
noun.
Thus, the mechanics of the sentence above
looks, like this:
Mother Earth delivered her speech to mankind.
singular feminine singular feminine

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:
An array of trees stands on its ground
Singular prepositional phrase Singular

2. Indefinite pronouns as antecedents
Singular indefinite pronoun
antecedents take singular pronoun
referents.
SINGULAR: each, either, neither, one, no one,
nobody, nothing, anyone, anybody, anything,
someone, somebody, something, everyone,
everybody, everything
Example:
Each of the birds flies towards its nest
Singular
Plural indefinite pronoun antecedents require
plural referents.
PLURAL: several, few, both, many
Example:
Both flowers bend their stems towards the sun.
Plural Plural
Some indefinite pronouns that are modified by a prepositional
phrase may be either singular or plural.
EITHER SINGULAR OR PLURAL: some, any, none, all, most
When the object of the preposition is uncountable, use

a singular referent pronoun.
Examples:
Some of the waves reached its top!
Waves is uncountable; therefore, the sentence
has a singular referent pronoun.
When the object of the preposition is
countable,use a plural referent pronoun.
Examples:
Some of the animals were saved by
their owners.
Animals are countable; therefore the
sentence has a plural referent pronoun.
3. Compound subjects joined by and always
take a plural referent.
Example:
The lion and the tiger run for their lives as the hunters chase
them.
Plural Plural
4. With compound subjects joined by or/nor, the
referent pronoun agrees with the antecedent
closer to the pronoun.
Example 1 (plural antecedent closer to to pronoun):
Neither the dog nor the cats escaped their stalkers.
Singular Plural Plural

Example 2 (singular antecedent closer to
pronoun):
Neither the cats nor the dog escaped its stalkers.
Plural Singular Singular

Note: In example 1, 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.
Example:
A flock of birds made its nest on the tallest tree.
Singular Singular
In this example, the flock is acting as one unit;
therefore, the referent pronoun is singular.
Example:
The troop members run towards their prey.
Plural Plural
In this example, the troop 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:
The Gifts of Nature made its characters seem realistic.
Singular Singular
The Philippines is proud of its natural resources

Singular Singular
7. Plural form subjects with a singular meaning take
a singular referent. (news, measles, mumps,
physics, etc)
EXAMPLE:
The news about the forest fires has lost its rage a few days after.
Singular Singular
8. Every or Many a before a noun or a series of
nouns requires a singular referent.
EXAMPLES:
Every cow, pig, and horse has lost its life in the fire.
Singular Singular
Many a fish dreams to swim its trail along clear waters.

Singular Singular
9. The number of vs A number of before a
subject:
• The number of is singular.
EXAMPLE:
The number of conserved wildlife habitats increases its
number each year
Singular Singular
A number of is plural.
EXAMPLE:
A number of wild animals were
saved from their huntsmen.
Pural Plural

Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

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Pronoun Antecedent Agreement

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PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT

Mother Earth delivered her speech to mankind.

singular feminine singular feminine

Singular prepositional phrase Singular

When the object of the preposition is uncountable, use

Neither the dog nor the cats escaped their stalkers.

Singular Plural Plural

Plural Singular Singular

In this example, the troop members are

The Philippines is proud of its natural resources

Many a fish dreams to swim its trail along clear waters.

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