Pronoun Agreement Examples: Mastering the Fine Art of Agreement in Writing

Pronouns are essential elements in a sentence that replace nouns and help to avoid repetition in writing. However, they can also create confusion if not used correctly. Pronoun agreement is the correct matching of a pronoun with its antecedent in number, gender, and person. In this article, we will provide you with some pronoun agreement examples to help you understand the rules and avoid common mistakes.

Singular and Plural Pronouns Agreement

One of the most basic rules of pronoun agreement is matching singular pronouns with singular antecedents and plural pronouns with plural antecedents. For instance:

– Incorrect example: Each student had their own book.

– Correct example: Each student had his or her own book.

In the incorrect example, the singular pronoun “their” does not agree with the singular antecedent “each student.” On the other hand, the corrected version uses the singular pronoun “his or her” which agrees in gender and number with the singular antecedent.

Gender Pronoun Agreement

Another important aspect of pronoun agreement is gender agreement. Pronouns should match the gender of their antecedents. For example:

– Incorrect example: The nurse took his temperature.

– Correct example: The nurse took their temperature.

In the incorrect example, the pronoun “his” refers to a masculine gender when the nurse could be of either gender. The corrected version uses the neutral pronoun “their” that does not specify gender.

Person Pronoun Agreement

Lastly, pronoun agreement should match in person, whether first, second, or third. For example:

– Incorrect example: When you see someone you love, they make your heart sing.

– Correct example: When you see someone you love, he or she makes your heart sing.

In the incorrect example, there is a mismatch between the second-person pronoun “you” and the third-person pronoun “they.” The corrected version uses the third-person singular pronoun “he or she” that agrees with the third-person antecedent.

Conclusion

In summary, correct pronoun agreement is essential for communicating clearly and effectively in writing. By keeping in mind the rules of matching singular and plural, gender, and person pronouns with their antecedents, you can avoid miscommunication and confusion in your writing. These pronoun agreement examples demonstrate the importance of mastering the fine art of pronoun agreement to write correctly and clearly.