Editing: Pronoun Agreement

PRO AGR=when the pronoun does not agree in number with the noun or pronoun, called the antecedent, it references earlier in the sentence or in a prior sentence.


1. Identify Pronouns and Their References

• Circle all pronouns

• On the computer, highlight them yellow

• Draw an arrow back to the word it is replacing

• On the computer, highlight the word they are replacing blue 

2. Identify Pronoun Type (List below is not complete)

Typical Cases

• Indefinite pronouns (each, nobody, everybody, something, nothing) are singular.

• Collective nouns are singular unless the action and result (verb and object) clearly shows plural.

• Compounds=plural

• The either/or | neither/nor rule= agree with the antecedent closest (the second one/the one after 'nor'/'or').

Very Important Catches

• Sentences that begin with pronouns, especially:

• This

• It