Pronoun-Noun Agreement
Pronoun-Noun Agreement : A pronoun is a word that refers to a noun and can stand in its place. By
using a pronoun, you can refer to the same person, place, thing, or idea repeatedly without using the
same noun every time.
For example, the following sentence becomes far less awkward when pronouns are used: WITHOUT
PRONOUNS:
Molly thinks that Molly should sell Molly’s car to Molly’s brother.
WITH PRONOUNS: Molly thinks that she should sell her car to her brother.
Pronoun Types : Pronouns may be divided into several categories, based on how they are used:
Demonstrative (this, that, these, those)
Indefinite (anybody, something, etc.)
Intensive or reflexive (yourself, herself, myself)
Interrogative (who? which? what?) Personal (I, you, he, she, we, they)
Possessive (my, your, her, his, their) Relative (who, whom, whose, which, that)
Every pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun to which the pronoun refers or which it
replaces).
EXAMPLE: Molly thinks that she should sell her car.
Molly - antecedent she/her = pronouns A pronoun agrees with its antecedent when they match in both
number and gender.
Agreement in Number A pronoun must match its antecedent in number. In other words, if the
antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be plural, and if the antecedent is singular, the pronoun must be
singular.
EXAMPLE: Freddy wears his Superman outfit at least twice a week. (Since the word Freddy is singular,
the pronoun that refers to it is also singular.)
EXAMPLE: Freddy’s parents believe that their son is slightly peculiar. (Because the word parents is plural,
the pronoun referring to it must also be plural.)
Agreement in Gender A pronoun must match its antecedent in gender. If the antecedent is feminine,
use the pronouns she, her, and hers, and if it is masculine, use the pronouns he, him, and his. Plural
pronouns (they, them, their, and theirs) refer to plural nouns of either gender.
EXAMPLE: Freddy’s father is embarrassed by his son.
