Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
(1) Complete revision of
essay (submit
before class and bring
on Canvas
);
(2) begin
(pronoun-antecedent
agreement), due next Tuesday, April 18, on
Canvas;
(3) read
sections 16 (
)
PronounAntecedent
Agreement
and Essential vs. Nonessential Clauses
(LBCH pp. 240-248)
Pronouns
replace nouns (or other pronouns)
so you do not have to repeat them.
A pronoun must AGREE with its antecedent
(just like a subject and verb agree).
Singular antecedent
singular pronoun
Antecedent
the word that a pronoun replaces
Plural antecedent
plural pronoun
Purdue University Writing Lab
Keep pronouns consistent.
Do not switch among first-, second-,
and third-person (I, we, you, he or
she, they) without reason.
When the caller presses 1,
you get a recording.
I work at the mall, and during the
holidays, you can’t find parking.
Purdue University Writing Lab
(LBCH pp. 240-243)
Purdue University Writing Lab
RED FLAG #1: Agreement with
indefinite pronouns = not specific
Most indefinite pronouns
are either always singular
or always plural.
HINT: -one / -body / -thing =
singular
Purdue University Writing Lab
1
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
Plural indefinite pronouns
both
few
many
several
However, the indefinite pronouns
all
Singular indefinite pronouns
someone anyone
no one
everyone
somebody anybody
nobody
everybody
something anything
nothing
everything
each
neither
either
most
some
can be singular or plural.
HINT: Look at the object of the
prepositional phrase that follows.
(most of the workers = plural; most of the salt = singular)
Purdue University Writing Lab
Pronoun agreement with
indefinite pronouns
A singular pronoun requires a singular
verb (-s ending) and a singular pronoun.
Everybody fails Ms. Bielecki’s tests
Someone has lost his or her books.
unless he or she studies.
A plural pronoun requires a plural verb
(no -s ending) and a plural pronoun.
Few survive to tell their tales of
Many have lost their books.
addiction to methamphetamines.
Purdue University Writing Lab
Collective nouns
The band played its biggest hit at the
end of the concert. (acting as a unit)
The team won the last three games
of its season. (acting as a unit)
HINT: There’s no “I” in “team.”
Purdue University Writing Lab
Purdue University Writing Lab
RED FLAG #2: Agreement with
collective nouns
A collective noun names a group that acts
as a single unit, so use the pronoun “it.”
audience
college
couple*
government
office
staff
band
committee
crowd
group
party
team
class
company
family
jury
society
union
Purdue University Writing Lab
RED FLAG #3: Case and Agreement
with Relative Pronouns:
that, which, who, whom, whose
Relative pronouns agree with their antecedents not in terms of number (singular
or plural) or gender (male or female) but in
terms of human or nonhuman:
• Who, whom, and whose refer to humans.
• That and which refer to
nonhumans (animals and things).
(LBCH pp. 236-237)
2
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement (G#10)
CASE: Who vs. Whom
“Who” (like “he”) is
always a subject;
use this form when it
performs an action.
“Whom” (like “him”) is
always an object;
use this form when it
does not perform an action.
That
(essential)
vs. Which (nonessential)
“WHO” vs. “WHOM” HINT:
next major word = VERB → who
next major word =
NOUN or PRONOUN → whom
The person (who, whom) spoke
was boring.
The person (who, whom) we met
was boring.
“THAT” vs. “WHICH” HINT:
• “That” usually gets NO commas
(phrase is necessary to the sentence):
To decide between “that” and
“which” on a multiple-choice test,
The cat that I feed every day is a
gray tabby with white paws.
LOOK FOR COMMAS.
• “Which” usually gets commas
(phrase is not necessary):
My cat, which I feed every day,
is a gray tabby with white paws.
A “that” clause gets no
commas because it is essential;
a “which” clause gets commas
because it is not essential.
Commas separate things that
are not important or essential.
Examples
1. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the
Declaration of Independence, was
our third president.
2. Thomas Jefferson, whom I studied
last year, was our third president.
3. Thomas Jefferson, whose home is
called Monticello, was our third
president.
4. The university that she attends has
expensive tuition.
5. The University of Tampa, which she
attends, has expensive tuition.
Who, whom, that, and which
Ask yourself two questions:
1. Human or non-human?
2. What is the
next word?
verb
noun or
who pronoun
whom
2. Does the phrase
have commas?
yes
which
no
that
3