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Pronouns must agree because when they don't, a sentence makes no sense. For example:

"John took their books to school." Whose books did John take to school?

"John rode her bike to school." Since John is a boy, we don't know whose bike he rode.

"John made themselves a sandwich." How many Johns are we talking about; how many people have to share a sandwich?

"John brought its lunch from home." What lunch is that, the dog's lunch, the squirrel's lunch, an octopus that was supposed to be lunch for a shark?

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1w ago

Pronouns and their antecedents must agree in terms of number, gender, and person to avoid confusion and ensure clarity in writing. When a pronoun does not agree with its antecedent, it can lead to ambiguity and make it difficult for the reader to understand the intended meaning of the sentence. Consistent agreement between pronouns and antecedents helps maintain coherence and precision in communication.

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Q: Why do pronouns and their antecedents have to agree?
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How do pronouns and antecedents agree?

Pronouns and antecedents agree in terms of number, gender, and person. The pronoun must match the antecedent in these characteristics to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness in the sentence. For example, if the antecedent is singular and masculine, the pronoun that refers to it should also be singular and masculine (e.g., "He went to the store").


What is the rule for prounouns and antecedents?

Pronouns must agree in number, person, and gender with their antecedents. This means that a singular pronoun should replace a singular antecedent, a plural pronoun for a plural antecedent, and so on. It's important to ensure clarity and avoid ambiguous pronoun references.


What are three trouble spot in pronoun use?

Ambiguity: Using pronouns without clear antecedents can confuse the reader about who or what the pronoun refers to. Agreement: Pronouns must agree in number and gender with the nouns they replace. Mismatched pronoun agreement can disrupt the flow of a sentence. Case: Using pronouns in the wrong case (subjective, objective, possessive) can result in grammatically incorrect sentences.


What are pronouns called that are used as adjectives to show ownership or possession A antecedents B adjectival pronouns C indefinite pronouns D faulty references?

Pronouns used as adjectives to show ownership or possession are called adjectival pronouns.


Why is it important to know pronouns antecedents?

Understanding pronoun antecedents is important for clarity in writing and speaking. It helps ensure that pronouns refer back to the correct noun and that the message is conveyed accurately. Confusion over pronoun antecedents can lead to misunderstandings or ambiguity in communication.

Related questions

How do you make infinite pronouns and antecedents agree?

An indefinite pronoun and its antecedent agree in number when they are both singular or both plural.


What is a list of antecedents?

Antecedents can be any noun (or noun form) where pronouns will replace the repetition of the noun. The most common pronouns that replace antecedents are personal pronouns (I, me, he, she, it, we they) or possessive adjectives (my, your, his, her, its) or possessive pronouns (his, hers, theirs, mine, yours).


What part of speech has an antecedent?

An antecedent is typically found in a sentence as a noun (or pronoun) that another pronoun refers back to. The antecedent provides context and clarity for the pronoun it precedes.


How should pronouns agree?

Pronouns must agree in number and gender.


What are pronouns called that are used as adjectives to show ownership or possession A antecedents B adjectival pronouns C indefinite pronouns D faulty references?

Pronouns used as adjectives to show ownership or possession are called adjectival pronouns.


Ram loved Sita. Sita loved ram how to change nouns into pronouns?

He loved her. She loved him. The question here demostrates how dangerous the use of pronouns without antecedents can be.


What is the definition of object pronoun that agrees in number with its antecedent?

The term pronoun-antecedent is the term for the agreement of a pronoun with its antecedent. Pronouns and antecedents must agree in number (singular or plural), person (first, second, or third person), and gender (male, female, neutral).


Why is it important to know pronouns antecedents?

Understanding pronoun antecedents is important for clarity in writing and speaking. It helps ensure that pronouns refer back to the correct noun and that the message is conveyed accurately. Confusion over pronoun antecedents can lead to misunderstandings or ambiguity in communication.


Which the italicized oronoun agrees in number with its atalicized antecedent or antecedents?

The pronoun should agree in number with its antecedent.


How do personal pronouns have to agree with their antecedents?

Personal pronouns must agree with their antecedents in terms of gender, number, and person. For example, if the antecedent is singular and masculine, the pronoun used to refer to it should also be singular and masculine. Similarly, if the antecedent is plural, the pronoun should also be plural. The pronoun should also match the person the antecedent represents (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they).


What is the antecedent for the capitalized pronoun Dave and Jenny are proud of THEIR gift because they bought it with money they earned themselves?

Dave and Jenny are the antecedents for the plural pronouns their, they, they, and themselves.


Should a pronoun agree in both number and gender with its antecedent?

Yes, a pronoun should agree with its antecedent in both number and gender to ensure clarity and accuracy in communication. Failure to maintain agreement can lead to confusion and ambiguity in writing and speaking.