Nouns & Pronouns and Agreement

NOUNS

A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, idea, or quality.

Categories for nouns:

Common

Proper

Compound

Collective

As adverbs

Concrete

Abstract

Countable

Non-countable

Verbal nouns (gerunds)

Nouns fill the following places in sentences: 

Subject

Direct object

Indirect object

Object of a preposition

Predicate Noun

PRONOUNS

A pronoun is a word used in place of a noun.  An antecedent is a word or group of words to which a pronoun refers.  If the antecedent is singular, the pronoun must be singular.  If the antecedent is plural, then the pronoun must be plural.

           

Various types of pronouns

Personal

            Subjective case

            Objective case

            Possessive case

Reflexive or intensive

Demonstrative

Relative

Interrogative

Extended

Indefinite

Agreement:  Pronoun-Antecedent

The rules for agreement are simple, but need emphasizing because breaking them often goes unnoticed.  Simply, every verb must agree with its subject in number (singular or plural); every pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular or plural).

PRONOUN-ANTECEDENT AGREEMENT

Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in both number and gender.  Also, pronouns should be placed as closely as possible to the antecedent.

Special Problems of Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

1.  The indefinite pronouns listed under No. 5 (above) need a singular pronoun.

Examples:

Anyone can succeed if she tries.

Everyone brought a gift for his writing teacher.

Someone should admit his unwillingness to excel in grammar.

2.  Plural indefinite pronouns require plural pronouns.

Examples:

Several of the participants quit because they were tired.

A few in the front row had paid significant amounts for their tickets.

I kept my seat on the bus, but others had to change theirs.

3.  Those indefinite pronouns that are either singular or plurl take singular or plural pronouns accordingly.

Examples:

Some of the dog’s leash twisted itself around the clothesline.

None of the students had their pencils with them and were scolded by their teacher.