Pronoun-antecedent agreement is an essential concept in the English language. It refers to the agreement between a pronoun and its antecedent, the noun that the pronoun replaces. Inaccurate pronoun-antecedent agreement can confuse or mislead the reader and detract from the credibility of the text.
Therefore, it is crucial to practice exercises to improve your understanding of this concept. Here are some paragraph exercises to help you master pronoun-antecedent agreement.
Exercise 1
In the following paragraph, identify the pronoun-antecedent errors and correct them.
Katie and her friend Sarah decided to go on a hike, but she forgot to bring her water bottle. They continued up the mountain trail until it started to get dark. She realized that they didn`t have a flashlight, so they decided to turn back. They eventually made it back to the car, where she found her water bottle in the backseat.
Correction:
Katie and her friend Sarah decided to go on a hike, but Katie forgot to bring her water bottle. They continued up the mountain trail until it started to get dark. Sarah realized that they didn`t have a flashlight, so they decided to turn back. They eventually made it back to the car, where Katie found her water bottle in the backseat.
Explanation:
In the original paragraph, the pronoun “she” is used to refer to both Katie and Sarah, leading to confusion as to which person was being referred to. To correct it, we have replaced the pronoun with the specific antecedent.
Exercise 2
In the following paragraph, identify the correct pronoun-antecedent agreement.
The new employee arrived at the office, and they were greeted by their co-workers. He seemed nervous, so they tried to make him feel welcome. The manager showed him around and introduced him to everyone. The employee began to feel more comfortable as he settled into his new job.
Correction:
The new employee arrived at the office, and he was greeted by his co-workers. He seemed nervous, so they tried to make him feel welcome. The manager showed him around and introduced him to everyone. The employee began to feel more comfortable as he settled into his new job.
Explanation:
In this paragraph, the pronoun “they” is used to refer to the co-workers, but it does not agree with the antecedent, which is singular. Therefore, we have replaced it with “he,” which is the appropriate pronoun to match the singular antecedent.
Exercise 3
In the following paragraph, identify and correct the pronoun-antecedent errors.
When the company announced the new policy, the employees were confused. They wondered how it would affect their jobs. The boss held a meeting to explain the policy, but it only made things more confusing. They decided to form a committee to review the policy and make recommendations. Eventually, they presented their findings to the boss and the employees, and they were satisfied with the changes.
Correction:
When the company announced the new policy, the employees were confused. They wondered how it would affect their jobs. The boss held a meeting to explain the policy, but it only made things more confusing. The employees decided to form a committee to review the policy and make recommendations. Eventually, the committee presented their findings to the boss and the employees, and everyone was satisfied with the changes.
Explanation:
In this paragraph, the pronoun “they” is used to refer to multiple antecedents, including the boss, the employees, and the committee. To clarify the sentence`s meaning, we have replaced “they” with the specific noun, depending on the context of the sentence.
Conclusion
Mastering the pronoun-antecedent agreement concept is necessary, especially in writing. With these paragraph exercises, you can improve your understanding of the concept and avoid common errors while writing. Remember always to pay attention to who or what the pronoun refers to. Doing so can better your writing and make it more coherent to the reader.
