{"id":372,"date":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","date_gmt":"2014-07-25T20:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/writershandbook\/?post_type=chapter&p=372"},"modified":"2014-07-25T21:17:55","modified_gmt":"2014-07-25T21:17:55","slug":"20-4-making-pronouns-and-antecedents-agree","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-mcc-styleguide\/chapter\/20-4-making-pronouns-and-antecedents-agree\/","title":{"raw":"20.4 Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree","rendered":"20.4 Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n
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20.4<\/span> Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree<\/h2>\r\n
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Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n
    \r\n\t
  1. Understand the different types of pronouns.<\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Recognize pronoun antecedents.<\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Make sure pronouns and antecedents are relatively close together and match in person, number, gender, and human versus nonhuman state.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nPronouns can be somewhat confusing, but they can help make your use of language smoother and more compact. For example, if your name were Pete Rando, you could write, \u201cPete Rando is going back to wait to go back to Pete Rando\u2019s camper until Pete Rando\u2019s friends have seen the sunset at the Grand Canyon.\u201d Or you could say, \u201cI\u2019m going to wait to go back to my camper until my friends have seen the sunset at the Grand Canyon.\u201d A first step in understanding how and when to use pronouns properly is having an overall picture of pronouns. Study the following table for an overview of the different types of pronouns. Note that some pronouns, such as possessive pronouns and interrogative pronouns, show up on more than one list.\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Demonstrative pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\r\nRefer to things<\/td>\r\nthat\r\n\r\nthese\r\n\r\nthis\r\n\r\nthose<\/td>\r\nThis<\/strong> trail is the longest one.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Indefinite pronouns<\/td>\r\nRefer to nonspecific people or things<\/td>\r\nSingular:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nanybody\r\n\r\nanyone\r\n\r\neverybody\r\n\r\neveryone\r\n\r\neverything\r\n\r\nnothing\r\n\r\none\r\n\r\nsomeone\r\n\r\nsomebody<\/td>\r\nSingular or plural:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nall\r\n\r\nany\r\n\r\nmore\r\n\r\nmost\r\n\r\nnone\r\n\r\nsome<\/td>\r\nDo you know anyone<\/strong> who has hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Plural:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nboth\r\n\r\nfew\r\n\r\nmany<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Interrogative pronouns<\/td>\r\nAre used in questions<\/td>\r\nthat\r\n\r\nwhat\r\n\r\nwhatever\r\n\r\nwhich\r\n\r\nwhichever\r\n\r\nwho\r\n\r\nwhoever\r\n\r\nwhom\r\n\r\nwhose<\/td>\r\nWho<\/strong> wants to sign up to ride the mules down into the Grand Canyon?<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Personal pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\r\nRefer to people or things<\/td>\r\nSubjective case:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nhe\r\n\r\nI\r\n\r\nit\r\n\r\nshe\r\n\r\nthey\r\n\r\nwe\r\n\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nObjective case:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nher\r\n\r\nhim\r\n\r\nit\r\n\r\nme\r\n\r\nthem\r\n\r\nus\r\n\r\nyou<\/td>\r\nIf you<\/strong> ask Alicia, she<\/strong> will tell you<\/strong> that I<\/strong> am too chicken to ride the mules even though none of them<\/strong> has ever gone over the edge.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Possessive case:<\/strong>\r\n\r\nhis\r\n\r\nher(s)\r\n\r\nits\r\n\r\nmy\r\n\r\nmine\r\n\r\nour(s)\r\n\r\ntheir(s)\r\n\r\nyour(s)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Possessive pronouns<\/td>\r\nShow ownership without using an apostrophe<\/td>\r\nhis\r\n\r\nher(s)\r\n\r\nits\r\n\r\nmy\r\n\r\nmine\r\n\r\nour(s)\r\n\r\ntheir(s)\r\n\r\nyour(s)<\/td>\r\nRegardless of the expense, a helicopter ride is my<\/strong> choice for seeing the Grand Canyon.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Reciprocal pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\r\nRefer to separate parts of a plural antecedent<\/td>\r\neach other\r\n\r\none another<\/td>\r\nThe mules calmly follow each other<\/strong> all the way up and down.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Reflexive<\/span><\/span> and intensive pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\r\nEnd in -self<\/em> or -selves<\/em>. Reflexive pronouns are needed for a sentence to make sense, and intensive pronouns are optional within a sentence<\/td>\r\nherself\r\n\r\nhimself\r\n\r\nitself\r\n\r\nmyself\r\n\r\noneself\r\n\r\nourselves\r\n\r\nthemselves\r\n\r\nyourself\r\n\r\nyourselves<\/td>\r\nThe guides themselves<\/strong> put their lives in the hands, or rather hooves, of the mules every day.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Relative pronouns<\/td>\r\nShow how dependent clause relates to a noun<\/td>\r\nthat\r\n\r\nwhat\r\n\r\nwhatever\r\n\r\nwhich\r\n\r\nwhichever\r\n\r\nwho\r\n\r\nwhoever\r\n\r\nwhom\r\n\r\nwhomever\r\n\r\nwhose<\/td>\r\nAs long as I get to see the Grand Canyon from a vantage point other than the edge, I am happy to choose whichever<\/strong> option you want.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAnother step in properly using pronouns is to recognize a pronoun\u2019s antecedent, which is the noun or pronoun to which a pronoun refers, and make sure the pronoun and antecedent match in number, person, gender, and human versus nonhuman state. Also, to make the antecedent-pronoun match clear, the pronoun should follow relatively soon after the antecedent, and no other possible antecedent should fall between the antecedent and the pronoun.\r\n
    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
    Antecedent Situations<\/th>\r\nExample in a Sentence<\/th>\r\nPronoun Antecedent Guidelines<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
    Compound antecedents<\/td>\r\nJoey and Hannah<\/strong> spent the weekend with their<\/strong> parents at the Grand Teton National Park.<\/td>\r\nAs an antecedent, \u201cJoey and Hannah\u201d is plural, non-gender-specific, human, and third person, so the pronoun must match. Hence their<\/em> works, but, for example, our<\/em>, his<\/em>, her<\/em>, and them<\/em> would not work.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Indefinite pronouns that act as an antecedent for other pronouns<\/td>\r\nSome<\/strong> of the moose left their<\/strong> footprints in our campsite.<\/td>\r\nSince \u201cof the moose\u201d is a nonessential phrase, the antecedent for their<\/em> is some<\/em>. The pronoun some<\/em> can be singular or plural, so it agrees with their<\/em>, which is plural.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Collective noun antecedents<\/td>\r\nThe Teton Range<\/strong> is quite regal as it<\/strong> protrudes upwards nearly seven thousand feet.<\/td>\r\nTeton Range<\/em> is a collective noun and, therefore, is considered single (multiple mountains within the range, but only one range). It is nonhuman, so it agrees with it<\/em>. Collective nouns are sometimes an exception to the human versus nonhuman<\/em> guideline since a noun, such as \u201ccrew\u201d or \u201caudience,\u201d can match to the pronoun its<\/em>.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Antecedents and gender-biased pronouns<\/td>\r\nEveryone<\/strong> should make his or her<\/strong> own choice about hike lengths.<\/td>\r\nYears ago, acceptable writing included using male pronouns to refer to all unknown- or collective-gender antecedents. Today such usage is considered sexist (see Chapter 16 \"Sentence Style\", Section 16.5 \"Avoiding Sexist and Offensive Language\"). Some people opt to use their<\/em> with singular antecedents instead of using his or her<\/em>. Such usage should never be used in formal writing because it is technically incorrect since everyone<\/em> is singular and their<\/em> is plural.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Ambiguous antecedents<\/td>\r\nAmbiguous:<\/strong> The trails wind high into the mountains where they seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\r\nWhen a pronoun antecedent is unclear, such as in this situation where readers do not know if the trails or the mountains seem to disappear into the sky, you should reword the sentence by either (1) eliminating or (2) moving the pronoun (and probably other words).<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Example #1: The trails wind high into the mountains where the trails seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Example #2: High in the mountains, the trails wind as they seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Vague or implied antecedents<\/td>\r\nVague or implied:<\/strong> The Grand Teton park wetland trails go past areas where deer, elk, and moose are often seen, so it should be a lot of fun.<\/td>\r\nThe antecedent of it<\/em> is not clear because the writer used a shortcut. Instead of referring to any of the nouns that preceded it in the sentence, it<\/em> refers to an unstated antecedent, such as the experience<\/em> or the hike<\/em>. A better way to write the sentence: The Grand Teton park wetland trails go past areas where deer, elk, and moose are often seen, so the hike should be a lot of fun.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
    Antecedents in previous sentences<\/td>\r\nThe Grand Teton National Park<\/strong> was formed in 1929. In 1950, it<\/strong> was sort of re-formed when additional land was added.<\/td>\r\nAntecedents should be present within the same sentence unless the flow of the sentences is such that the antecedent\/pronoun connection is very clear.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
    \r\n

    Key Takeaways<\/h3>\r\n
      \r\n\t
    • Take care to use these eight types of pronouns correctly: demonstrative, indefinite, interrogative, personal, possessive, reciprocal, reflexive\/intensive, and relative.<\/li>\r\n\t
    • For every pronoun, you should be able to easily identify a matching antecedent.<\/li>\r\n\t
    • As a rule, a pronoun\u2019s antecedent should be nearby, in the same sentence, and matching in person, number, gender, and human versus nonhuman state.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
      \r\n

      Exercise<\/h3>\r\n
        \r\n\t
      1. For each sentence, fill in the blank with an appropriate pronoun(s) and circle the antecedent.\r\n
          \r\n\t
        1. Everybody heard us sing _______________ version.<\/li>\r\n\t
        2. The pit crew did _______________ job like clockwork.<\/li>\r\n\t
        3. A small child should not be left to fend for _______________.<\/li>\r\n\t
        4. Beagles and Labradors often show off _______________ natural hunting tendencies.<\/li>\r\n\t
        5. Allie and Bethany are planning to help _______________ with their projects.<\/li>\r\n\t
        6. Ask each student to upload _______________ papers into the drop box.<\/li>\r\n\t
        7. Anyone can get _______________ transcripts by filling out the proper form.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\n ","rendered":"

           <\/p>\n

          \n

          20.4<\/span> Making Pronouns and Antecedents Agree<\/h2>\n
          \n

          Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n
            \n
          1. Understand the different types of pronouns.<\/li>\n
          2. Recognize pronoun antecedents.<\/li>\n
          3. Make sure pronouns and antecedents are relatively close together and match in person, number, gender, and human versus nonhuman state.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

            Pronouns can be somewhat confusing, but they can help make your use of language smoother and more compact. For example, if your name were Pete Rando, you could write, \u201cPete Rando is going back to wait to go back to Pete Rando\u2019s camper until Pete Rando\u2019s friends have seen the sunset at the Grand Canyon.\u201d Or you could say, \u201cI\u2019m going to wait to go back to my camper until my friends have seen the sunset at the Grand Canyon.\u201d A first step in understanding how and when to use pronouns properly is having an overall picture of pronouns. Study the following table for an overview of the different types of pronouns. Note that some pronouns, such as possessive pronouns and interrogative pronouns, show up on more than one list.<\/p>\n

            \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
            Demonstrative pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nRefer to things<\/td>\nthat<\/p>\n

            these<\/p>\n

            this<\/p>\n

            those<\/td>\n

            		This<\/strong> trail is the longest one.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Indefinite pronouns<\/td>\nRefer to nonspecific people or things<\/td>\nSingular:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            anybody<\/p>\n

            anyone<\/p>\n

            everybody<\/p>\n

            everyone<\/p>\n

            everything<\/p>\n

            nothing<\/p>\n

            one<\/p>\n

            someone<\/p>\n

            somebody<\/td>\n

            		Singular or plural:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            all<\/p>\n

            any<\/p>\n

            more<\/p>\n

            most<\/p>\n

            none<\/p>\n

            some<\/td>\n

            		Do you know anyone<\/strong> who has hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Plural:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            both<\/p>\n

            few<\/p>\n

            many<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

            Interrogative pronouns<\/td>\nAre used in questions<\/td>\nthat<\/p>\n

            what<\/p>\n

            whatever<\/p>\n

            which<\/p>\n

            whichever<\/p>\n

            who<\/p>\n

            whoever<\/p>\n

            whom<\/p>\n

            whose<\/td>\n

            		Who<\/strong> wants to sign up to ride the mules down into the Grand Canyon?<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Personal pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nRefer to people or things<\/td>\nSubjective case:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            he<\/p>\n

            I<\/p>\n

            it<\/p>\n

            she<\/p>\n

            they<\/p>\n

            we<\/p>\n

            you<\/td>\n

            		Objective case:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            her<\/p>\n

            him<\/p>\n

            it<\/p>\n

            me<\/p>\n

            them<\/p>\n

            us<\/p>\n

            you<\/td>\n

            		If you<\/strong> ask Alicia, she<\/strong> will tell you<\/strong> that I<\/strong> am too chicken to ride the mules even though none of them<\/strong> has ever gone over the edge.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Possessive case:<\/strong><\/p>\n

            his<\/p>\n

            her(s)<\/p>\n

            its<\/p>\n

            my<\/p>\n

            mine<\/p>\n

            our(s)<\/p>\n

            their(s)<\/p>\n

            your(s)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

            Possessive pronouns<\/td>\nShow ownership without using an apostrophe<\/td>\nhis<\/p>\n

            her(s)<\/p>\n

            its<\/p>\n

            my<\/p>\n

            mine<\/p>\n

            our(s)<\/p>\n

            their(s)<\/p>\n

            your(s)<\/td>\n

            		Regardless of the expense, a helicopter ride is my<\/strong> choice for seeing the Grand Canyon.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Reciprocal pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nRefer to separate parts of a plural antecedent<\/td>\neach other<\/p>\n

            one another<\/td>\n

            		The mules calmly follow each other<\/strong> all the way up and down.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Reflexive<\/span><\/span> and intensive pronouns<\/span><\/span><\/td>\nEnd in –self<\/em> or –selves<\/em>. Reflexive pronouns are needed for a sentence to make sense, and intensive pronouns are optional within a sentence<\/td>\nherself<\/p>\n

            himself<\/p>\n

            itself<\/p>\n

            myself<\/p>\n

            oneself<\/p>\n

            ourselves<\/p>\n

            themselves<\/p>\n

            yourself<\/p>\n

            yourselves<\/td>\n

            		The guides themselves<\/strong> put their lives in the hands, or rather hooves, of the mules every day.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Relative pronouns<\/td>\nShow how dependent clause relates to a noun<\/td>\nthat<\/p>\n

            what<\/p>\n

            whatever<\/p>\n

            which<\/p>\n

            whichever<\/p>\n

            who<\/p>\n

            whoever<\/p>\n

            whom<\/p>\n

            whomever<\/p>\n

            whose<\/td>\n

            		As long as I get to see the Grand Canyon from a vantage point other than the edge, I am happy to choose whichever<\/strong> option you want.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

            Another step in properly using pronouns is to recognize a pronoun\u2019s antecedent, which is the noun or pronoun to which a pronoun refers, and make sure the pronoun and antecedent match in number, person, gender, and human versus nonhuman state. Also, to make the antecedent-pronoun match clear, the pronoun should follow relatively soon after the antecedent, and no other possible antecedent should fall between the antecedent and the pronoun.<\/p>\n

            \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
            Antecedent Situations<\/th>\nExample in a Sentence<\/th>\nPronoun Antecedent Guidelines<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
            Compound antecedents<\/td>\nJoey and Hannah<\/strong> spent the weekend with their<\/strong> parents at the Grand Teton National Park.<\/td>\nAs an antecedent, \u201cJoey and Hannah\u201d is plural, non-gender-specific, human, and third person, so the pronoun must match. Hence their<\/em> works, but, for example, our<\/em>, his<\/em>, her<\/em>, and them<\/em> would not work.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Indefinite pronouns that act as an antecedent for other pronouns<\/td>\nSome<\/strong> of the moose left their<\/strong> footprints in our campsite.<\/td>\nSince \u201cof the moose\u201d is a nonessential phrase, the antecedent for their<\/em> is some<\/em>. The pronoun some<\/em> can be singular or plural, so it agrees with their<\/em>, which is plural.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Collective noun antecedents<\/td>\nThe Teton Range<\/strong> is quite regal as it<\/strong> protrudes upwards nearly seven thousand feet.<\/td>\nTeton Range<\/em> is a collective noun and, therefore, is considered single (multiple mountains within the range, but only one range). It is nonhuman, so it agrees with it<\/em>. Collective nouns are sometimes an exception to the human versus nonhuman<\/em> guideline since a noun, such as \u201ccrew\u201d or \u201caudience,\u201d can match to the pronoun its<\/em>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Antecedents and gender-biased pronouns<\/td>\nEveryone<\/strong> should make his or her<\/strong> own choice about hike lengths.<\/td>\nYears ago, acceptable writing included using male pronouns to refer to all unknown- or collective-gender antecedents. Today such usage is considered sexist (see Chapter 16 “Sentence Style”, Section 16.5 “Avoiding Sexist and Offensive Language”). Some people opt to use their<\/em> with singular antecedents instead of using his or her<\/em>. Such usage should never be used in formal writing because it is technically incorrect since everyone<\/em> is singular and their<\/em> is plural.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Ambiguous antecedents<\/td>\nAmbiguous:<\/strong> The trails wind high into the mountains where they seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\nWhen a pronoun antecedent is unclear, such as in this situation where readers do not know if the trails or the mountains seem to disappear into the sky, you should reword the sentence by either (1) eliminating or (2) moving the pronoun (and probably other words).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Example #1: The trails wind high into the mountains where the trails seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Example #2: High in the mountains, the trails wind as they seem to disappear into the sky.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Vague or implied antecedents<\/td>\nVague or implied:<\/strong> The Grand Teton park wetland trails go past areas where deer, elk, and moose are often seen, so it should be a lot of fun.<\/td>\nThe antecedent of it<\/em> is not clear because the writer used a shortcut. Instead of referring to any of the nouns that preceded it in the sentence, it<\/em> refers to an unstated antecedent, such as the experience<\/em> or the hike<\/em>. A better way to write the sentence: The Grand Teton park wetland trails go past areas where deer, elk, and moose are often seen, so the hike should be a lot of fun.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
            Antecedents in previous sentences<\/td>\nThe Grand Teton National Park<\/strong> was formed in 1929. In 1950, it<\/strong> was sort of re-formed when additional land was added.<\/td>\nAntecedents should be present within the same sentence unless the flow of the sentences is such that the antecedent\/pronoun connection is very clear.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
            \n

            Key Takeaways<\/h3>\n