As a copy editor, it`s important to understand the basics of pronoun agreement in the English language. Pronoun agreement is when a pronoun matches in number and gender with its antecedent in a sentence. This means that if the antecedent is singular, the pronoun must also be singular; if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must also be plural. Additionally, the pronoun must match the gender of the antecedent.

To better understand pronoun agreement, let`s take a look at some examples.

Example 1: Sara went to the store, and she bought some apples.

In this sentence, the antecedent is “Sara,” which is singular and female. Therefore, the pronoun “she” is also singular and female, matching the antecedent.

Example 2: The students did their homework, and they turned it in on time.

In this sentence, the antecedent is “students,” which is plural. Therefore, the pronoun “they” is also plural, matching the antecedent.

Example 3: The doctor asked the patient if he had any allergies.

In this sentence, the antecedent is “patient,” which is singular and gender-neutral. However, the pronoun “he” is masculine. To make this sentence gender-neutral, you could use “they” instead: “The doctor asked the patient if they had any allergies.”

Example 4: The girls went to the park, and he played on the swings.

In this sentence, the pronoun “he” does not match the antecedent “girls” in gender. To fix this, you could use “they” instead: “The girls went to the park, and they played on the swings.”

By understanding proper pronoun agreement, you can ensure that your writing is clear and easy to understand for your readers. Additionally, using pronoun agreement correctly can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) by making your content more accessible to users. So, the next time you`re editing your writing, be sure to check your pronoun agreement to make sure it`s accurate and consistent.