This PowerPoint presentation is ©2016 by Robin L Simmons All Rights Reserved Pronoun Agreement Until You Pass Out ! Rule Rule 1: 1: Know Know the the general general rule rule governing governing pronoun pronoun agreement agreement A A pronoun pronoun must must agree agree with with its its antecedent antecedent The The antecedent antecedent is is usually usually aa noun noun that that the the pronoun pronoun replaces replaces For For example, example, you you can can replace replace Mrs Mrs Hill Hill with with she she or or her her,, the the students students with with they they or or them them Here Here are are two examples: examples: The lizard licked its eyeball Lizard = singular antecedent its = singular pronoun The lizards licked their eyeballs Lizards = plural antecedent their = plural pronoun Know Know the the difference difference between between these these singular singular and and plural plural personal personal pronouns pronouns Singular Singular He, He, she, she, itit Him, Him, her, her, itit His, His, hers, hers, its its Himself, Himself, herself, herself, itself itself Plural Plural They They Them Them Their, Their, theirs theirs Themselves Themselves Do Do not not confuse confuse it’s with its it’s with its • It’s [with an apostrophe] means it is or it has • Its [without an apostrophe] means belonging to it—for example, its bowl, its sharp teeth, its long claws, etc • Possessive pronouns—unlike possessive nouns —do not need an apostrophe with the final s Rule Rule 2, 2, Part Part 1: 1: The The conjunction conjunction aand nd can can cause cause problems problems with with pronoun pronoun agreement agreement Two Two [or [or more] more] singular singular things things joined joined by by and and become become aa plural plural antecedent antecedent The new puppy and kitten have destroyed their owner’s sofa Rule Rule 2, 2, Part Part 2: 2: When When each each or or every every precedes precedes two two [[or or more more]] singular singular things things joined joined by by and and,, aa singular singular antecedent antecedent is is formed formed Each new puppy and kitten destroys its owner’s sofa In In this this situation, situation, no no matter matter how how many many singular singular nouns nouns that that you you join join with with and and,, the the antecedent antecedent is is still still singular singular Each new puppy, kitten, rabbit, tarantula, python, parrot, iguana, and ferret destroys its owner’s sofa REVIEW Directions: Find and fix the pronoun agreement errors At the zoo, every every lion, lion, tiger, tiger, leopard, leopard, bear, bear, snake, snake, and and crocodile its approval crocodile roared roared their approval when when the the mean mean child child slipped slipped in in a a puddle puddle and and cracked cracked his his head head on on the sidewalk the sidewalk In In the the 1950s, 1950s, rule rule books books would would have have recommended recommended using using the the masculine masculine pronoun pronoun exclusively exclusively Oh, my! Someone left his lights on In In the the 1970s, 1970s, after after criticism criticism from from feminists feminists and and civil civil rights rights activists, activists, rule rule books books next next suggested suggested using using both both genders genders so so that that males males and and females females had had equal equal representation representation in in the the language language Someone left his or her lights on I can see them along the watch tower A A writer writer who who begins begins with with he he or or she she or or him him or or her her will will need need to to be be consistent consistent But But look look what what happens happens Wanda Wrighter Professor Pennington ENC 1101 May 17, 2011 Student Success If a student wants to improve his or her grades, he or she should walk himself or herself over to the tutoring center There, Oh, the he or she can request a tutor to help him or her with his or her homework This preparation for horror his or her ! class will ensure that he or she is ready when taking his or her quizzes and exams In addition, the tutor might have old work to share This way, the student can find out himself/herself what to expect on the assignments for a specific instructor that might change his/her assignments rarely Thus, the one thing that will insure the success of a student is that he or she gets a tutor to help him or her In In the the 21 21stst century, century, fix fix the the error error without without the the annoying annoying repetition repetition There’s a car with its lights on Thankfully, my wheels don’t have that problem Rule Rule 4, 4, Part Part 3: 3: Some Some indefinite indefinite pronouns pronouns are are singular singular or or plural plural,, depending depending on on context context • All All • Any Any • None None** • More More • Most Most • Some Some All of Beverly’s hair gets its color from a bottle All of Beverly’s fingernails get their color from a bottle None of Sabrina’s friends will None Noneof ofSabrina’s Sabrina’sfriends friendswill will None of Sabrina’s friends will give up one of their giveup upone oneof ofhis their pencils give or her give up one of his or pencils her so Sabrina, who so that that so Sabrina, who is is who pencils that pencils so that Sabrina, Sabrina, who is is always unprepared, can take always unprepared, can taketake always unprepared, can always unprepared, can take her agreement quiz her pronoun pronoun agreement quiz her pronoun agreement her pronoun agreement quiz quiz today today today today Some groups of people, like a jury, also cause pronoun agreement problems Rule Rule 5: 5: Collective Collective nouns nouns are are singular singular or or plural, plural, depending depending on on context context • Collective nouns are groups of people: • • team, jury, class, committee, army, family, etc If all members are acting in unison, treat the collective noun as singular and use a singular pronoun If, however, all members are acting individually, treat the noun as plural and use a plural pronoun Read Read these these examples: examples: The team celebrated its victory The team changed into their street clothes and went home happy When When you you cannot cannot decide decide if if the the collective collective noun noun is is singular singular or or plural, plural, insert insert aa plural plural noun noun after after the the collective collective noun, noun, like like this: this: The team members ran out onto the field to meet their opponent The class cheered its The Theclass classcheered cheeredtheir its The class cheered their approval when Dr Shuman approvalwhen whenDr Dr.Shuman Shuman approval approval when Dr Shuman postponed the frog dissection postponedthe thefrog frogdissection dissection postponed postponed the frog dissection so that the students could go so that the students could go so that the students could go so that the students could go home early on Friday home early on Friday home early on Friday home early on Friday afternoon afternoon afternoon afternoon Or try this: The students cheered their approval when Dr Shuman postponed the frog dissection so that they could go home early committee unanimously 10 The The committee committeeunanimously unanimously committee unanimously decided to the decided to impeach impeach the the decided to decided to impeach impeach the president because it president because it could could president because they president because they could could no longer stand his longno longer his longno longer stand his no longer his longlongwinded speeches and unclear winded speeches and unclear winded speeches and winded speeches and unclear unclear policies policies policies policies Or try this: The committee members unanimously decided to impeach the president because they could no longer stand Rule Rule 6: 6: Companies Companies,, organizations organizations,, and and schools schools are are singular singular and and thus thus require require singular singular pronouns pronouns One urban legend is that Tito’s Taco Palace makes its burritos with kangaroo meat The Pencil Enthusiast Society uses the donations it receives to insure all writing instruments have sharp points Next year, Weaver College will try to solve its parking woes by requiring students to buy a $75 parking decal Nick loves Cluck-a-Buck ,, but Nick Nickloves lovesCluck-a-Buck, Cluck-a-Buckbut but Nick loves Cluck-a-Buck, but it it uses uses so much MSG as they use so much MSG as they useso somuch muchMSG MSGas as flavoring that he sneezes for an flavoring that he sneezes for flavoring that he sneezes for an flavoring that he sneezes foran an hour after eating just a hourhour afterafter eating just just a aa eating hour after eating just drumstick drumstick drumstick drumstick ... effectively on cheat effectively on their their pronoun pronoun agreement agreement quiz quiz pronoun pronoun agreement quiz pronoun agreement pronoun agreement quiz quiz Or try this: Those worried... her agreement quiz her pronoun pronoun agreement quiz her pronoun agreement her pronoun agreement quiz quiz today today today today Some groups of people, like a jury, also cause pronoun agreement. .. Indefinite pronouns pronouns cause cause the the biggest biggest headaches headaches for for pronoun pronoun agreement agreement Rule Rule 4, 4, Part Part 1: 1: These These indefinite indefinite pronouns