Pronoun Agreement and Reference

Pronouns are small words like “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” that stand in for nouns so we do not have to repeat them. When a pronoun does not clearly match the noun it replaces, readers get confused, and the editing questions ask you to fix exactly that.

Pronoun agreement means a pronoun must match its antecedent — the noun it refers to — in number and gender. Pronoun reference means it must be clear which noun the pronoun replaces. A pronoun with no clear antecedent leaves the reader guessing.

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Matching the Antecedent

First find the antecedent, then make the pronoun match it in number. A singular noun needs a singular pronoun; a plural noun needs a plural pronoun. Wrong: Each student must bring their book. “Each student” is singular, so “their” does not agree in careful, formal writing. Corrected: Each student must bring his or her book, or better, make both plural: All students must bring their books. Wrong: The company changed their policy. A company is one thing, so it takes “its.” Corrected: The company changed its policy. Collective nouns like “team,” “jury,” and “committee” are usually singular. When agreement feels awkward with “his or her,” the smoothest fix is often to rewrite the sentence in the plural so “they” and “their” fit naturally.

Keeping the Reference Clear

A pronoun should point to one obvious noun. Trouble comes when a sentence has two possible antecedents or none at all. Wrong: When Maria met Jenna, she was nervous. Who was nervous — Maria or Jenna? The reference is unclear. Corrected: When Maria met Jenna, Maria was nervous. Another common problem is a vague “it,” “this,” or “they” with nothing to point to. Wrong: They say the test is hard. Who are “they”? Corrected: Reviewers say the test is hard. Wrong: The car hit the wall, but it was not damaged. Was the car or the wall undamaged? Corrected: The car hit the wall, but the wall was not damaged. When in doubt, replace the pronoun with the actual noun.

Watch: A Short Video Lesson

Khan Academy gives a clear overview to go with this lesson:

A Routine for Pronouns

1. Find the antecedent the pronoun stands for.
2. Match it in number: singular with singular, plural with plural.
3. Check that only one noun could be the antecedent.
4. If the reference is vague, swap in the actual noun.

Practice

1. What is an antecedent?
2. What pronoun should replace “the company”?
3. Fix this: “Each player took their seat.”
4. Why is “When Sam saw Dan, he waved” unclear?
5. Fix this: “They say it will rain.”
6. Is “team” usually singular or plural?

Answers

1. The noun a pronoun refers to.
2. “Its.”
3. “Each player took his or her seat,” or “All players took their seats.”
4. “He” could mean Sam or Dan.
5. Name who: “Forecasters say it will rain.”
6. Singular.

Where This Fits in Your RLA Prep

Pronoun choice continues in pronoun case, and clear reference supports cutting wordiness and fixing order. See every topic on the Language Arts Prep Hub.

Recommended Prep Books

Keep building momentum with a full study guide and practice tests:

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