11 . Defining Pronouns and Singular and Plural Antecedents
Pronouns take the place of or refer to nouns, other pronouns, or phrases. The word, or words, that the
pronoun refers to is called the antecedent of the pronoun. Review the information on defining
pronouns and their antecedents in the table below before beginning the exercises.
Pronouns and Antecedents
Getting Started: For each boldface pronoun in the sentences, select its antecedent from the choices
provided.
After a stressful day, Alice and Mary like to go to their favorite yoga class.
Alice
Mary
Alice and Mary
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
"Alice and Mary" is the plural antecedent of the pronoun their. If the subject of the sentence were a
singular noun, such as just Mary, the pronoun would be her.
Before going to the cafeteria, Matt got his lunch from the refrigerator.
Refrigerator
Matt
Lunch
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
Types of pronouns
and antecedents
Pronoun with a
singular
antecedent
Pronoun with a
plural antecedent
Pronoun with an
antecedent that is
a
phrase
Examples
Jane decided to buy
the coat because it was on sale.
John and Jane departed
for their honeymoon.
Julie loves going on long
runs because it gives her time for
reflection.
Explanations
In this sentence, the
pronoun it refers to the singular
antecedent coat.
In this sentence, the
pronoun their refers to the plural
antecedent John and Jane.
In this sentence, the
pronoun it refers to the antecedent
phrase going on long runs.
"Matt" is the singular antecedent of the pronoun his. The lunch belongs to Matt.
Cycling every day is healthy. It burns lots of calories and increases your metabolism.
Increases your metabolism
Healthy
Cycling every day
Points:
1 / 1
Close Explanation
Explanation:
"Cycling every day," which is a whole phrase, is the correct antecedent of the pronoun it. You could
rewrite the second sentence and replace it with its antecedent: cycling every day burns lots of calories
and increases your metabolism.
Applying Concepts: In the following student's summary of a study of a campus issue, the pronoun or
its antecedent appears in bold. Click on each of the blank lines, and choose the correct answer from
the dropdown menu. If the pronoun is given, select the correct antecedent; if the antecedent is given,
select the correct pronoun.
Crime on Campus
Crime on college
campuses has recently
come under scrutiny.
According to the Center
of Integrity at the
University of Palia, it is
higher than people often
realize.
David Likas, a
psychologist at the
University of Palia, found
that most researchers of
crime have interviewed
prisoners. They typically
do not interview college
students.
Likas interviewed 2,000
college students who do
not have a criminal record
His
Pronoun
It
Error! Filename not
specified.They
Researchers
Error! Filename not
specified.Likas
Antecedent of Pronoun
Error! Filename not
specified.Crime on college
campuses
Crime on Campus
to make his study
different from other
studies.
Likas asked the
participants if they ever
engaged in criminal
activity. Shockingly,
about 1 in 20 participants
answered "Yes."
David Likas, a psychologist at the
University of Palia, found that
most researchers of crime have
interviewed prisoners. They typically do
not interview college students.
Likas interviewed 2,000 college students
who do not have a criminal record to
make his study different from other
studies.
Likas asked the participants if they ever
engaged in criminal activity. Shockingly,
about 1 in 20 participants answered "Yes."
Correct Sentence
Crime on college campuses has recently
come under scrutiny. According to the
Center of Integrity at the University of
Palia, it is higher than people often realize.
They
Pronoun
Error! Filename not
specified.Participants
Antecedent of Pronoun
Explanation
"Crime on college campuses," which is a whole
phrase, is the correct antecedent of the
pronoun it in this sentence. You could rewrite
the second sentence and replace it with its
antecedent phrase: . . . of Palia, is higher than
people often realize.
"They" is the correct pronoun referring to the
plural antecedent researchers in this sentence.
If the subject of the sentence were a singular
noun, such as David Likas, the pronoun would
be he.
"Likas" is the correct singular antecedent of the
pronoun his. You could rewrite the sentence,
replacing his with its singular antecedent: . . . to
make Likas's study different. . . .
"Participants" is the correct plural antecedent of
the pronoun they. You could rewrite the
sentence, replacing they with its plural
antecedent: . . . if the participants ever engaged.
. . .
Points:
1 / 1
Explanation:
Close Explanation
