Noun-Pronoun Agreement

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Noun-Pronoun Agreement


Noun-pronoun agreement refers to the requirement that pronouns must agree with the nouns they replace (also known as antecedents) in terms of number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter), and case. Here are the key rules and examples:

1. Number Agreement

  • Singular Noun with Singular Pronoun
    When a noun is singular, the pronoun that replaces it must also be singular.

    • Example: "The girl lost her book."
      Here, "girl" is a singular noun, and "her" is a singular pronoun.

  • Plural Noun with Plural Pronoun
    When a noun is plural, the pronoun that replaces it must also be plural.

    • Example: "The girls lost their books."
      Here, "girls" is a plural noun, and "their" is a plural pronoun.

2. Gender Agreement

  • Pronouns must match the gender of the nouns they replace.
  • Examples:
    • "The boy forgot his backpack." (masculine)
    • "The woman took her purse." (feminine)
    • "The dog wagged its tail." (neuter)

3. Indefinite Pronouns

  • Indefinite pronouns (e.g., everyone, someone, each) are usually treated as singular, so they require singular pronouns.
  • Examples:
    • "Everyone should bring his or her own lunch."
    • "Each of the players did his best."

4. Collective Nouns

  • Collective nouns (e.g., team, family, group) can be tricky. They are usually treated as singular when referring to the group as a single unit, and plural when referring to the individual members.
  • Examples:
    • "The team won its game." (singular)
    • "The team celebrated their individual achievements." (plural)

5. Compound Nouns

  • When using compound nouns (two or more nouns joined by "and"), the pronoun must agree in number with the entire compound.
  • Examples:
    • "Tom and Jerry are friends; they always support each other." (plural)
    • "My brother or my sister will lend her book." (singular, as "sister" is the closest noun)

6. Pronoun Case

  • The pronoun must also be in the correct case (subjective, objective, possessive) based on its function in the sentence.
  • Examples:
    • Subjective: "She went to the market." (subject)
    • Objective: "The teacher called him." (object)
    • Possessive: "This is her book." (shows ownership)

Summary

In summary, noun-pronoun agreement is essential for clarity and grammatical accuracy. By ensuring that pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and case, you enhance the readability and coherence of your writing.

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