Southern New Hampshire University
ENG-123 English Composition II
GRAMMAR HANDBOOK
Pronouns & Antecedents
A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. Pronouns usually allow us to speak
and write smoothly without needlessly repeating the same noun. The noun that a pronoun
replaces or to which it refers is called the antecedent. Pronouns must agree with their
antecedents in number, gender, and person. The first step, though, is to understand the
relationship between a pronoun and its antecedent.
For example:
Harriet slowed down her car when she saw a police car in the distance. (In this example
Harriet is the antecedent and her and she are the pronouns that refer back to Harriet.
Repeating Harriet’s name over and over again in a string of sentences, rather than
using a pronoun, would become needless repetition. For example:
Harriet slowed down Harriet’s car when Harriet saw a police car in the distance. Harriet
realized that Harriet needed to keep a close eye on Harriet’s speed limit. Harriet felt
grateful Harriet saw the police car before Harriet received a ticket!
Instead, we use pronouns as follows:
Harriet slowed down her car when she saw a police car in the distance. She realized that
she needed to keep a close eye on her speed limit. She felt grateful she saw the police car
before she received a ticket.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
A personal pronoun takes the place of the name of a person
I/ me/ we/ you/ he/ him/ she/ they/ them/ it
Here is an example of how to consider the pronoun case:
“Mitchell worked hard all day. I called him that evening, but he had fallen asleep. Him
and he are personal pronouns whose antecedent is Mitchell. A singular masculine noun
in the third person, for example, must use the pronoun his, he, or him.
It is also important to note why he and him are used in this example. Him is used in this
part of the sentence, “I called him that evening,” because him is the object in the sentence
(“I” is the subject and “called” the verb). In the part of the sentence, “but he had fallen
asleep,” he is the subject of the sentence (“had fallen” is the verb).”
With personal pronouns, it is also important to understand that there are first-, second-,
and third-person personal pronouns:
First-person singular pronouns: I, me, mine, my
First-person plural pronouns: we, us, our, ours
Second-person singular pronouns: you, your, yours
Second-person plural pronouns: you, your, yours
Third-person singular pronouns: he, she, *they, it, him, her, *them, his, her, hers, *their,
*theirs, its, everyone each
Third-person plural pronouns: they, them, their, theirs
***While “they” has primarily been used as a plural personal pronoun since the 18th
century, it is now also used as a singular pronoun. Singular “they” is used to refer to
individuals whose gender identity is non-binary or to refer to individuals whose gender
identity is unknown.
Example of using singular “they” for an individual who prefers non-binary pronouns:
Casey will turn in their homework tomorrow.
Example of using singular “they” for an individual whose gender identity is unknown:
When you meet with the agent, they will provide you with the necessary documents.
Here are some examples of the differences between first, second, and third person
pronouns:
First person plural: Chris and I will be at the fair. Look for us there. [Us refers to refers
to the antecedent Chris and I.]
Second person singular: The family seems so happy. There is light all around you. [You
refers to the antecedent the family. Although it may seem that a family is made up of
multiple people, making it plural, “the family” is a single unit, making it singular.]
Third person singular: Wendy went down to the pasture. There, she found her horses
napping in the warm sun. [She refers to the antecedent Wendy.]
PRONOUN CASES
But why do we use her sometimes and she other times? It is because there are three
pronoun cases:
Subjective Case
oThe subjective case is for a pronoun that is a subject.
Objective Case
oThe objective case is for a pronoun that is an object.
Possessive Case
oThe possessive case is for a pronoun that shows ownership.
First determine whether a pronoun is being used as a subject in a sentence or as an object in a
sentence.
For example: Harriet slowed down her car when she saw a police car in the distance.
“Her” is in the object position because it is part of “her car,” which is being acted upon.
Therefore, “her” is the objective pronoun used in this sentence.
“She” is in the subject position because “she” is committing an action. Therefore, “she” is the
subjective pronoun used in this sentence.
Second: determine if the pronoun is being used in the possessive. The possessive case shows
ownership.
For example: Harriet slowed down her car when she saw a police car in the distance.
“Her” is not only in the object position, it is in the possessive pronoun case, since it shows
Harriet’s ownership of her car.
Third: If the pronoun is being used in the possessive, does the pronoun come before or after the
noun in the sentence?
For example: Harriet slowed down her car when she saw a police car in the distance.
In this sentence, the possessive pronoun (her) comes before the noun (car).
Alternately, consider this example: The car is hers.
To review, your process will look like this:
ANTECEDENT » NUMBER? » GENDER? » OBJECT OR SUBJECT? » POSSESSIVE?
POSSESSIVE PRONOUN & NOUN? OR NOUN & POSSESSIVE PRONOUN?
Number Gender Subjective Objective Possessive
Adjective
and Noun
Noun and
Possessive
Pronoun
Singular Masculine He Him His His
Singular Feminine She Her Her Hers
Singular Non-binary
or Gender
Unknown
They Them Their Theirs
Singular Neutral It It Its Its
Number Gender Subjective Objective Possessive
Adjective
and Noun
Noun and
Possessive
Pronoun
Plural Masculine They Them Their Theirs
Plural Feminine They Them Their Theirs
Plural Non-binary
or Gender
Unknown
They Them Their Theirs
Plural Neutral They Them Its Its
PRONOUN REFERENCE PROBLEMS
Ambiguous Reference
Avoid ambiguous pronoun reference. The reader should be able to tell immediately which
antecedent a pronoun refers to.
× example:
Mary wrote to Sue every day while she was in the hospital. [The pronoun reference in this
sentence is unclear. The problem is that she could refer to either Mary or Sue. It’s best to revise
as in the sentence below:
When Mary was in the hospital, she wrote to Sue every day. [ Here the reader does not have to
guess at the meaning. It is clear that Mary was in the hospital and that she wrote every day.]
Ambiguous pronoun reference usually crops up when a sentence has two subjects of the same
gender, and the problem can usually be fixed if the writer names one of the subjects and
rearranges the sentence to avoid awkward repetition of the subject.
Vague Reference
Avoid vague pronoun reference. When you use the word this or similar pronouns like it or that,
be certain the antecedent is clear. If the antecedent does not come directly after the pronoun, the
pronoun will be assumed to refer to the closest noun. If it does not, the reference will be vague.
× example:
Many drivers’ text while operating a car. This could be a problem. [The antecedent for the
pronoun this is not clear. If you didn't know the context, you wouldn't know what the exact
problem is. The cell phone might interfere with the car's operation, or the writer of the sentence
could be upset that all drivers don't text while operating a car. It's better to make the antecedent
clear.]
Many drivers’ text while operating a car. This lack of focus can cause problems. [Here, the word
this modifies the new named problem lack of focus. Now, the reader can easily tell what is meant
by this.]
Agreement Problems
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number and gender. For instance, a singular
masculine noun in the third person, for example, must use the pronoun his or him.
× example:
Every mailman wants an income that supports their lifestyle. [Every mailman is a singular
subject. The pronoun their is plural. There is no agreement between the antecedent and the
pronoun here.]
× example:
Letter carriers want incomes that will support his lifestyle. [Letter carriers is a plural subject.
The pronoun his is singular. There is no agreement between the antecedent and the pronoun here.
Try the revision below:
Letter carriers want incomes that will support their lifestyles. [Letter carriers is a plural subject.
The pronoun their is plural. There is agreement between the antecedent and pronoun.]
Consistency
Be consistent in your use of person within the same sentence. Avoid switching between first,
second, and third person.
× example:
Everyone eats popcorn when you watch a movie. [Everyone is a third person pronoun. You is a
second person pronoun. This sentence is incorrect because these pronouns don't agree in person.]
Everyone eats popcorn when they are watching a movie. [Everyone is a third person pronoun.
They is a third person pronoun. This sentence is correct because these pronouns agree in person.]
