Quantcast
EditFast Grammar Resource: Pronouns: Pronoun Reference: Pronoun Agreement
Proofreaders Proofreader, writer and editor at your service.
proofreadersHomeSite MapFAQMailEditFast
EditFast Free EstimateSign Up!FAQ
Editor login Editor login Client login Client login
Choose your language
Submit your document and search for a proofreader, writer or editor
   
Editor of the Day
Search for Writers and Editors
Country OR State OR City (One location at a time)
Click here to let your friends know.
Resources for Writers, Authors, Editors, Copy Editors, and Proofreaders
New Writer's Resources Huge Database
Writers' and Editors' Resources
Magazines, Publishers, Literary Agents, Writing Competitions.

Copy one of the following and paste it anywhere on any page of your site.
Logo link

Text Link

A partner of Global Village Language Services: Editing, Translation, Writing, Publishing. All your document publishing needs in one spot!

Pronoun Reference


Rule 3:
Be Certain That Pronouns Agree with Their Antecedents in Number, Person, and Gender
Pronoun agreement refers to consistency between the pronoun and its antecedent in these areas:

• Number (singular or plural)
• Person (first, second, or third person)
• Gender (male, female, or neutral)

In addition, relative pronouns must agree with their antecedents in one other way: human or person pronouns must be used to refer to people, and non-person or thing pronouns must be used to refer to things other than people.

Check for agreement in number.

Certain words must always be referred to by singular or plural pronouns, as in the following examples:

Everybody is invited to choose his or her own research topic. (singular)
Some of the managers are being asked to bring their departmental reports to the meeting. (plural)
Much of the work is finished, but it is in draft form. (singular)
• The company is selling its old equipment to interested employees. (singular)
• As the workers punched in, they learned about the strike plans. (plural)

(back to top)

The most common problem with pronoun-antecedent agreement in number is the use of they or their to refer to a singular pronoun.

Examples of misuse:

• "Everybody is invited to choose their own research topic"
• "The company is selling their old equipment."

Check for agreement in person (viewpoint).

Message receivers can be confused by illogical shifts within a sentence from one viewpoint (person) to another.

Example:

The following sentence begins in second person (referring directly to the reader) and then shifts to third person (referring to someone other than either the sender or the receiver):

• When you choose a long-distance telephone company, one should consider the company's billing practices.

(back to top)

Check for agreement in gender.

The most obvious gender-agreement error would be to refer to a man as "she" or to a woman as "he." But few people make such obvious errors. The more subtle gender-agreement errors have to do with using all masculine pronouns (he, him, his) or all feminine pronouns (she, her) to refer to antecedents such as managers, secretaries, workers, one, and so on-antecedents that are neutral in terms of gender.


Previous PREVIOUS Top of Page
TOP OF PAGE
NEXT NEXT

Click here for an immediate FREE ESTIMATE.

Send your document now!
OR
CONTACT US
We'd be happy to hear from you!


TOP --- HOME




CLIENT SERVICES| Free estimate | Editing | Proofreading | Indexing | Copy Editing Business Documents | Textbooks | Journal Articles | Novels | Client Registration | Client Kudos | EditFast Site Owner | Feedback | Contact Us | Client List | Endorsements | Guarantee | Our Profile | Privacy and Security |

CLIENT RESOURCES | Editor List | Editor Locations | Project List | Projects Completed | Editor Specializations | Editor Specialization Descriptions | Public Pages | Grammar Resource | Japanese Pages |

EDITOR SERVICES | Editor Registration | Make Money Now! | Writing Contest | Writer's Resources | Grammar Help | Tips for Writers and Editors | World Clock | Currency Converter |

EDITOR JOB SEARCH RESOURCES | The Editorial | Magazines | Publishers | Writing and Poetry Contests | Literary Agencies | Job Search | Editing and Proofreading Jobs in United States| Editing and Proofreading Jobs in Canada |

EDITFAST CONTESTS | Writing Contests | Essay Writing Contests | Short Story Writing Contests | Short Short Story Writing Contests | Novel Writing Contests | Poetry Writing Contests

Mihaela

View profile

Contact

For, By, and About Editors
“I found a company called Demand Studios in “The Editorial.” I am now making $1,000 to $1,800 per week editing short “How To” articles for ehow.com. I'm loving it!” Judi
Your address is never rented, traded or sold.
Book Store
Gift Ideas!
Bargain Books!
For Editors
For Writers
For Freelancers
For Grammarians
For Stylists
Search Now:  
 
In Association with Amazon.com



Advertise on EditFast!
Click for details Advertisng on EditFast
Privacy Policy