Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Exercise 1: Practice identifying correct pronouns in sentences.

Let's solve this Pronoun – Antecedent Agreement exercise step by step. The goal is to choose the correct pronoun that agrees in number (singular or plural) and person with its antecedent (the noun it refers to).

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1. During early rehearsals, an actor may forget ____ lines.

- Antecedent: *an actor* → singular, third person
- Pronoun needed: possessive form referring to "actor"
- Correct answer: his or her
*(We use "his or her" to avoid gender bias when the antecedent is singular and of unknown gender.)*

✔ Answer: his or her

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2. The Washington team was opportunistic; ____ took advantage of every break.

- Antecedent: *The Washington team* → collective noun, treated as singular here ("was")
- But note: "team" can be singular or plural depending on context.
- Here, the verb is "was", so we treat it as singular.
- Therefore, the pronoun should be singular.
- Correct pronoun: it
*(Even though a team has members, when the group acts as a unit, we use "it".)*

✔ Answer: it

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3. A person needs to see ____ dentist twice a year.

- Antecedent: *a person* → singular
- Need a possessive pronoun for "dentist"
- Correct pronoun: their
*(Although "his or her" is grammatically correct, "their" is now widely accepted as a singular pronoun in modern English, especially in informal and even formal contexts. It’s more natural and inclusive.)*

✔ Answer: their

> Note: Some traditional grammar rules prefer "his or her", but "their" is increasingly accepted.

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4. The committee members put ____ signatures on the document.

- Antecedent: *committee members* → plural
- Need a plural possessive pronoun
- Correct pronoun: their

✔ Answer: their

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5. If any one of the sisters needs a ride, ____ can call me.

- Antecedent: *any one of the sisters* → "any one" is singular
- Even though there are multiple sisters, "any one" refers to a single individual
- So, the pronoun must be singular
- Correct pronoun: she or he or they?

But again, we want inclusivity. While "she" or "he" would be gender-specific, "they" is now commonly accepted as a singular pronoun in such cases.

✔ Answer: they
*(Modern usage accepts "they" as a singular pronoun for indefinite singular antecedents like "any one")*

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6. When someone has been drinking, ____ may drive poorly.

- Antecedent: *someone* → singular, indefinite pronoun
- We need a singular pronoun
- "They" is acceptable here as a singular pronoun for "someone"

✔ Answer: they

> This is a common construction: “Someone left their bag” → “they” is used.

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7. If the board of directors controls the company, ____ may vote for a raise.

- Antecedent: *the board of directors*
- This is a collective noun. It can be singular or plural depending on meaning.
- The verb is "controls" → singular, so the board is acting as a unit
- Therefore, the pronoun should be singular
- Correct pronoun: it

✔ Answer: it

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8. Neither the pilot nor the attendants gave ____ opinion about the mishap.

- Rule: With "neither...nor", the pronoun agrees with the closer antecedent
- Closer antecedent: *the attendants* → plural
- So, pronoun should be plural
- Correct pronoun: their

✔ Answer: their

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9. Each of these companies had ____ books audited.

- Antecedent: *each of these companies* → "each" is singular
- So, pronoun must be singular
- Possessive pronoun: its

✔ Answer: its

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10. Some of the china has lost ____ luster.

- Antecedent: *Some of the china* → "china" is uncountable, and "some" refers to part of it
- "China" here is a mass noun, and "some" is treated as singular because the verb is "has"
- So, pronoun must be singular
- Correct pronoun: its

✔ Answer: its

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✔ Final Answers:

1. his or her
2. it
3. their
4. their
5. they
6. they
7. it
8. their
9. its
10. its

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🔍 Explanation Summary:

- Singular antecedents require singular pronouns (e.g., *its*, *he*, *she*, *they* as singular).
- Plural antecedents require plural pronouns (e.g., *their*, *them*, *they*).
- Collective nouns (like team, board) take singular pronouns if acting as a unit.
- "Neither...nor" follows the closest antecedent rule.
- Indefinite pronouns like *someone*, *anyone*, *each* take singular pronouns.
- "Their" is now widely accepted as a singular pronoun in modern English for inclusive language.

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