ch 26 using pronouns correctly--agreement and reference

Using Pronouns Correctly:

Agreement and Reference

Review

Remember: Nouns are the names of persons, places, things, or ideas. Jack is a good friend. The band is from Orlando. Susie is full of compassion.

Pronouns

A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun (it stands in place of a noun). He is a good friend. They are from Orlando. She is full of compassion.

Pronouns

A pronoun’s antecedent is the word or words the pronoun replaces. Jack is a good friend; he is very loyal. The band members are from Orlando;

they love the sunny weather. Susie is full of compassion; she loves to

do volunteer work.

Pronouns and Antecedents Let’s practice…22, Exercise 1

Pronouns and Antecedents A pronoun must agree win number

with its antecedent; if the antecedent is singular, the pronoun must be singular, and if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun must be plural Susan tried to arrive on time, but she got caught

in traffic. Susan and Ray tried to arrive on time, but they

got caught in traffic. The visitors tried to arrive on time, but they got

caught in traffic.

Pronouns and Antecedents

Remember: Indefinite pronouns (words that end with –one, -body, -thing, or either, neither, each) are always singular; therefore, if one of these is an antecedent, the pronoun that replaces it must be singular. Each of the boy scouts received his merit

badge.

Pronouns and Antecedents When considering which pronoun to

use with an indefinite pronoun, be sure to avoid sexism. Everybody in the math class brought

_________ own calculator. If everyone in the class is male: Everybody

in the math class brought his own calculator.

If everyone in the class is female: Everybody in the math class brought her own calculator.


BUT……if the class has members of both sexes….

Everybody in the math class brought his or her own calculator.

OR The students in the math class brought

their own calculators.


Let’s practice…Page 524, Exercise 2


Remember: Collective nouns (nouns that are singular but refer to more than one person/thing—team, class, committee, etc.) are always singular; therefore, if one of these is an antecedent, the pronoun that replaces it must be singular. The team that was ahead in the playoffs

lost its home game.


Let’s practice….Page 526, exercise 4

Pronouns and Antecedents: Being Clear

Be sure that a pronoun has one clear antecedent. UNCLEAR: Jim told Leonard his bike had

been stolen? Who’s bike was stolen? Jim’s? Leonards?

UNCLEAR: She put the cake on the table, took off her apron, pulled up a chair, and began to eat it. Eat what? The cake? The table? The

apron? The chair?


Be sure to rewrite these kinds of sentences so the antecedent is clear! Jim told Leonard that Jim’s bike had been

stolen. Jim told Leonard, “My bike has been

stolen.” Jim told Leonard that Leonard’s bike had

been stolen. Jim told Leonard, “Your bike has been

stolen.”


Be very careful with the pronoun which. If there is any chance that which will confuse the reader, rewrite the sentence and get rid of which. UNCLEAR: Bill decided to take a part-

time job, which worried his parents? What worried his parents? His decision to

work part time? The job itself?


CLEAR: Bill’s parents were worried about the

kind of part-time job that he chose. Bill’s decision to work part time worried

his parents.


Be very careful that every pronoun has an antecedent! NO ANTECEDENT: When Bill got to the

train station, they said the train was going to be late. Who said? The ticket agents? Strangers?

ANTECEDENT: When Bill got toe the train station and asked the ticket agents about the schedule, they said the train was going to be late.


HINT: To check for clear reference of pronouns, underline any pronouns in your writing. Then, try to draw a line from each pronoun to its antecedent. Be sure that each pronoun has one clear antecedent!


Let’s practice….Page 530, Exercise 7

ch 26 using pronouns correctly--agreement and reference

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