14.11: Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
- Page ID
- 256896
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Practice 1
Remember:
- Neither, either, and each are singular.
- Words ending in "one," "body," and "thing" are also singular.
- A collective noun is singular if the group acts as one unit, plural if the members of the group act as individuals.
Directions: Choose the correct pronoun in the following sentences.
- Each of the daughters followed (her, their) mother's footsteps.
- Neither of the actors could remember (his, their) lines correctly.
- Everyone complained that (his/her, their) food was cold.
- Neither of my sisters remembered to purchase (her, their) tickets.
- Late in the evening, the jury finally reached (its, their) verdict.
- The captains of both teams forgot the words of wisdom that (his, his or her, their) coaches had given the night before the championship.
- Every student should proof (his or her, their) essay for Type I errors.
- All of my brothers earned (his, their) degrees from Florida State University.
- Almost everyone was surprised when (he or she, they) heard the news.
- Everybody on the voyage complained that (he or she, they) were suffering from food poisoning.
Practice 2
Directions: Choose the correct pronoun in the following sentences.
- Neither Clarissa nor Aleah wore (her, their) own dresses to the prom.
- Someone in your ENGL 1101 class called and left (his, their) phone number.
- McDonnell-Douglas recently published (its, their) report on the newly improved Tomahawk missile.
- One of the cashiers thinks that (her, their) boss has been transferred to a different location.
- Many of the students at Dalton State College find that school pressures affect (his or her, their) relationships at home.
- Each of the candidates gave (his or her, their) speech at the Civic Center.
- Having an obsessive-compulsive personality, Laura likes to have everything in (its, their) place before she goes to sleep at night.
- Either of the women who parked illegally will soon find that (her, their) car has been towed.
- Either my brothers or my uncle will fail to purchase (his, their) tickets in time to receive a discount.
- Either my brother or my uncles will fail to purchase (his, their) tickets in time to receive a discount.
References
- Dr. Mary Nielsen, Dean of the Dalton State College School of Liberal Arts.