Eng 102

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement Pronoun Reference

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

What is a pronoun? Substitutes a noun He, she, it, her, him, they, we, us, them What is an antecedent? Noun or pronoun that a pronoun refers to Dr. Berto finished her rounds. The hospital interns finished their rounds.

Do not use plural pronouns to refer to singular antecedents 3 Ways to correct When someone travels outside the US for the first time, they need to apply for a passport.

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

Replace plural pronoun with he or she (his or her) When someone travels outside the US for the first time, he or she needs to apply for a passport. Make antecedent plural When people travel outside the US for the first time, they need to apply for a passport. Rewrite sentence to correct problem Anyone who travels outside the US for the first time needs to apply for a passport.

Do not use plural pronouns to refer to singular antecedents These indefinite pronouns are all singular Anybody anyone anything each Everybody eithereveryone everything Nobody no one neither nothing Somebody someone something

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

Treat collective nouns as singular unless the meaning is clearly plural Collective nouns are treated as a group and functions as a unit Jury committee audience couple Crowd class troop family team The committee granted its permission to build. Sometimes they act as individuals though The committee put their signatures on the document. Simplify by adding a clearly plural antecedent The members of the committee put their signatures on the document.

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

Treat most compound antecedents joined with and as plural In 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev held a summit where they signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. With compound antecedents joined with or or nor (or with eitheror or neithernor), make the pronoun agree with the closer antecedent Either Bruce or Tom should receive first prize for his poem. Neither the mouse nor the rats could find their way through the maze.

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

With compound antecedents joined with or or nor (or with eitheror or neithernor), make the pronoun agree with the closer antecedent *if one antecedent is singular and the other plural, put plural one last to avoid awkwardness *If one antecedent is male and the other female, do not follow the traditional rule Either Bruce or Elizabeth should receive first prize for her short story. The prize for best short story should go to either Bruce or Elizabeth.

Pronoun & Antecedent Agreement

Exercise 7.2 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

1. Meteorology has made many advances in the past few decades, but they still cannot answer a number of questions about tornadoes. Meteorology has made many advances in the past few decades, but it still cannot answer a number of questions about tornadoes.
2. Every tornado has their own unique characteristics. Every tornado has its own unique characteristics.

Exercise 7.2 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

3.The science of tornado watching has its own system, the Fujita scale, for measuring storms from weakest (F0) to strongest (F5). correct 4. An F4 tornado or an F5 tornado can destroy everything in their path. An F4 tornado or an F5 tornado can destroy everything in its path.

Exercise 7.2 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

5. Scientists cannot yet predict how strong any tornado will be before they happen. Scientists cannot yet predict how strong any tornado will be before it happens. 6. One mystery about tornadoes involves the last step when it forms. One mystery about tornadoes involves the last step when they form.

Exercise 7.2 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

7. Specialists do not know if a tornado forms in a cloud and travels to the ground or if they begin on earth and spiral upward. Specialists do not know if a tornado forms in a cloud and travels to the ground or if it begins on earth and spirals upward.
8. Improved meteorological technology and the skill to interpret data have made their contributions to tornado prediction. correct

Exercise 7.2 Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

9. Either a few extra minutes of warning or more information about a storms power would prove their effectiveness in saving lives. Either a few extra minutes of warning or more information about a storms power would prove its effectiveness in saving lives. 10. People who live in a tornado zone should always know where his or her nearest safe area is. People who live in a tornado zone should always know where their nearest safe area is. People who live in a tornado zone should always know the location of their nearest safe zone.

Avoid ambiguous or remote pronoun reference Occurs when pronoun could refer to 2 possible antecedents When Gloria set the pitcher on the glass-topped table, it broke. Which object broke the pitcher or the table? The pitcher broke when Gloria set it on the glasstopped table. Tom told Sam that he had won the lottery. Who won the lottery Tom or Sam? Tom told Sam, You have won the lottery.

Pronoun References

Generally, avoid broad reference of this, that, which, it By advertising on TV, pharmaceutical companies gain exposure for their prescription drugs. Patients respond to this by requesting drugs they might not need. What are patients responding to ads, companies, prescription drugs? By advertising on TV, pharmaceutical companies gain exposure for their prescription drugs. Patients respond to the ads by requesting drugs they might not need.

Pronoun References

Do not use a pronoun to refer to an implied antecedent A pronoun should refer to a specific antecedent, not to a word that isnt actually in the sentence After braiding Anns hair, Sue decorated them with ribbons. What is the antecedent for the pronoun them? After braiding Anns hair, Sue decorated the braids with ribbons.

Pronoun References

Avoid the indefinite use of they, it, you A pronoun should refer to a specific antecedent, not to a word that isnt actually in the sentence In June, they announced that parents would have to pay a fee. In June, the board announced that parents would have to pay a fee. In the encyclopedia it states that male moths can smell female moths from several miles away. The encyclopedia states that male moths can smell female moths from several miles away.

Pronoun References

Avoid the indefinite use of they, it, you A pronoun should refer to a specific antecedent, not to a word that isnt actually in the sentence Ms. Pickersgills book stipulates that you should not arrive at a party too early or leave too late. Ms. Pickersgills book stipulates that a guest should not arrive at a party too early or leave too late.

Pronoun References

To refer to persons, use who, whom, whose NOT which, that Use which, that to refer to animals or things All thirty-two women in the study, half of which were unemployed for more than six months, reported higher self-esteem after job training. All thirty-two women in the study, half of whom were unemployed for more than six months, reported higher self-esteem after job training. During the two-day festival El Dia de los Muertos, Mexican families celebrate loved ones that have died. During the two-day festival El Dia de los Muertos, Mexican families celebrate loved ones who have died.

Pronoun References

Exercise 7.1 Pronoun Reference

1. In much political analysis, they say that public distrust of the US government began with Watergate. Many political analysts say that public distrust of the US government began with Watergate. 2.That scandals continuing legacy may make it one of the most influential American events of the twentieth century. That scandals continuing legacy may make Watergate one of the most influential American events of the twentieth century.

Exercise 7.1 Pronoun Reference

3. Since the early 1970s, political scandals have rarely interested Americans; they often seem to have very little effect. Since the early 1970s, political scandals have rarely interested Americans; the scandals often seem to have very little effect. 4. Journalists provided the American people with a lot of information about the Iran-Contra hearings, but they could not have cared less. Journalists provided the American people with a lot of information about the Iran-Contra hearings, but the public could not have cared less.

Exercise 7.1 Pronoun Reference

5. Most people were indifferent; could it have been the result of post-Watergate trauma? Could the indifference of most people have been the result of post-Watergate trauma? 6. If Americans expect politicians to be corrupt, it will not surprise or even interest them. If Americans expect politicians to be corrupt, government scandals will not surprise or even interest them.

Exercise 7.1 Pronoun Reference

7. Ironically, the medias coverage of scandals seems to have made the public suspicious of them as well. Ironically, the medias coverage of scandals seems to have made the public suspicious of journalists as well. 8. Cynicism about political and journalistic motives, leads to apathy and it can spread contagiously. Cynicism about political and journalistic motives, which can spread contagiously, leads to apathy.

Exercise 7.1 Pronoun Reference

9. Many people are so apathetic that it makes them refuse to vote. Many people are so apathetic that they refuse to vote.
10. If people do not believe that they can make a difference in the political process, it makes the country less democratic. If people do not believe that they can make a difference in the political process, the country becomes less democratic.

Grammar Tasks

Create a mad lib in which players have to apply each pronoun reference rule and each pronoun & antecedent agreement rule.

How to create a Madlib

Choose a topic (I choose hippos) Write one sentence illustrating each rule. (No one wants to be eaten by a hippo while wearing his dirty underwear. A family of hippos was drinking from its watering hole. The male and female hippo knew that they must stay hydrated. *continue for all rules*) Underline each pronoun and its antecedent Erase each underlined word or phrase Create a list indicating which type of pronoun or antecedent is needed to complete the blank

How to create a Madlib

___1___wants to be eaten by a hippo while wearing ___2___ dirty underwear. A ___3___ was drinking from ___4___ watering hole. The ___5___ hippo knew that ___6___ must stay hydrated. *continue for all rules* 1. Singular antecedent 2. Singular pronoun 3. Collective noun antecedent 4. Singular pronoun 5. Compound antecedent 6. Plural pronoun

For Friday
Work on grammar portfolio because its due Friday, November 22