​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
Choosing Correct Pronouns
Pronouns can help you to avoid needless repetition in your scholarly article by referring
to an earlier noun, phrase, or clause you already said. Pronouns also indicate which
point of view you are writing from, which will be determined by the journal or field you
are writing in. In this module you will learn:
1. The various forms of personal pronouns
2. When to use collective (plural) pronouns
3. How and when to use six other categories of pronouns
*With insights from the Penn State LGBTQ Resource Center.
1. Using Pronouns Correctly
1. There are four properties of pronouns:
a. number
b. person
c. gender
d. case
2. The point of view you wish to write from will determine the personal pronoun
you use in a sentence.
3. See the module “Style and Point of View” for more information on personal
pronouns.
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
Table 1. Personal pronouns
Example 1: Matching a pronoun to its antecedent noun
Incorrect: ​
Joseph​
​
retrieved anonymous SAT scores using ​
their​
connection at the
local high school.
The number does not match in this sentence. “Joseph” is singular and “their” is
plural.
Corrected: ​
Joseph​
​
retrieved anonymous SAT scores using ​
his​
connection at the
local high school.
Incorrect: ​
I​
​
took tissue samples from each specimen, and ​
one ​
then looked for
spores under a microscope.
“I” is first person and “one” is second person.
Corrected: ​
The researcher ​
​
took tissue samples from each specimen, and ​
she ​
then
looked for spores under a microscope.
Now both pronouns are in second person.
4. The number, person, and gender of a pronoun needs to match the antecedent it
refers to.
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
2. Collective nouns
1. Singular words that refer to a group. Use a collective noun to reduce wordiness.
2. Refer to a collective noun with a singular pronoun.
3. If a collective noun contains subjects that behave individually, use a plural
pronoun.
Example 2: When to use collective nouns
Plural antecedent noun → collective antecedent noun:
The class members → The class
Collective antecedent noun with singular pronoun:
The ​
class​
left the room because ​
its ​
professor never arrived.
Collective antecedent noun with plural pronoun:
The ​
class​
sat down in ​
their​
usual seats.
This sentence contains two collective singular antecedent nouns, which are referred
to with a singular pronoun:
Every ​
president​
and every ​
vice president​
has ​
his​
own advisor.
This sentence contains two collective plural antecedent nouns and so are referred to
with a plural pronoun:
Cell phones​
and ​
tablets​
have ​
their​
flaws.
This sentence contains one collective plural antecedent noun and one singular
nouns, and therefore requires a plural pronoun that refers to all of them together:
The ​
research team​
and the ​
administrator​
sent their grant application in last night.
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
This sentence contains two singular antecedent pronouns, but since they are
different genders the corresponding pronoun is a gender neutral plural pronoun:
The ​
husband​
and ​
wife​
brought ​
their​
dog to the park.
3. Reflexive and Reciprocal Pronouns
1. Use these when the subject in a sentence acts upon him/herself.
2. They can intensify an action to make a point more strongly.
Example 3: Reflexive pronoun intensifies an action
She discovered the algorithm ​
herself​
.
This pronoun intensifies the action. You can tell it is an intensifier because when you
remove it, the sentence still make sense:
She discovered the algorithm.
3. Reflexive pronouns end in “self” or “selves”
Example 4: Reflexive pronoun
Jonathan laughed at ​
himself​
.
4. Reciprocal pronouns refer to “each other” or “one another”
Example 5: Reciprocal pronoun
The labmates had known ​
each other​
from a previous class.
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
4. Demonstrative Pronouns
1. Indicate the object that is being referred to
2. Examples: this, that, these, those
3. Use sparingly because they are vague and add an unnecessary word
Example 6: Demonstrative pronouns
Turn ​
that topographic ​
map around.
The researchers applied ​
this stimulant​
to half of the samples.
5. Indefinite Pronouns
1. Pronouns beginning with “some-, any-, every-, no-” and ending in “-thing, -one,
-body.”
2. These are not influenced by gender or person, but number still applies.
Example 7: Indefinite pronoun
Somebody ​
should record the orchestra concert.
6. Interrogative Pronouns
1. As the title implies, these nouns interrogate which person or thing is the subject.
2. Who, whom, what, which, and whose are interrogative pronouns
3. These are used to ask a question
4. There is often confusion between the use of “what” and “which.” According to
the Chicago Manual of Style, “which” asks about a particular person or thing in
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
a group. To expand the inquiry beyond the particular group, use the word
“what” “What” also asks about qualities of something or items in a category.
Example 8: Interrogative pronouns
The researchers questioned ​
who​
was going to participate in the study.
We are still unsure about ​
whose​
best interests these results will serve.
Which​
variety of tomatoes will grow the fastest?
What​
is the fastest growing variety of tomatoes?
What ​
is your predicted outcome for the 2016 presidential election?
7. Relative Pronouns
1. Like interrogative pronouns, these are “who, whom, whose, what, that, which”
2. To be relative, a pronoun must refer back to an antecedent noun that was
already mentioned ​
and ​
introduce a dependent clause.
Example 9: Relative pronouns
Researchers that ​
publish gain name recognition.
“That” refers back to “researchers” and introduces the clause “that publish gain
name recognition.”
The Life of Pi​
, written by ​
an​
author whom ​
​
I admire, is an adventure that keeps you
guessing what will happen next.
“Whom” refers back to “an author” and introduces the clause “whom I admire.”
​
Choosing Correct Pronouns
www.sites.psu.edu/pubhub
8. Inclusive Pronouns
1. Inclusive pronouns are pronouns that do not suggest any particular gender of
the individual.
2. Penn State’s LGBTQ Student Resource Center​
contains information on
​
inclusion, and​
LGBTQ Architect has sample documents you can adapt for your
​
needs.
3. The most common inclusive pronouns are “they, their, and them” but often
these are not accepted as singular pronouns in scholarly writing.
4. If you decide to use inclusive pronouns in your article, it’s a good idea to place a
footnote explaining the purpose of their use.
Example 10: Inclusive pronouns
He ​
➜ Ze, Ey, Xe
Him ​
➜ Hir, Em, Xem
His ​
➜ Hirs, Eir, Xyr
Sources and Additional Resources:
1. Chicago Manual of Style (scroll down to the pronoun sections)
2. Towson: Pronouns
3. Purdue OWL: Using Pronouns Clearly
4. GLAAD Media Reference Guide​
for LGBTQ writing and media
​