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Chapter 5

Matchmaking: Pairing Pronouns and Antecedents

Pronouns don't like to be alone. Each must pair up with an antecedent — the noun or other pronoun it refers to. You're the matchmaker! You must make sure that a pronoun and its antecedent agree. A singular antecedent belongs with a singular pronoun, and a plural antecedent requires a plural pronoun. In this chapter, you find practice for every situation likely to arise in matching pronouns to antecedents correctly and clearly.

The Questions You’ll Work On

In this chapter, you work on questions that develop these skills:

 Identifying pronouns and their antecedents

 Pairing singular and plural pronouns with the appropriate antecedents

 Matching the gender of pronouns and antecedents

 Ensuring that the antecedent of every pronoun is clear

What to Watch Out For

Keep these points in mind when you’re answering the questions in this chapter:

 To determine whether you’re using the proper pronoun, first identify the antecedent.

 Singular pronouns take the place of singular nouns or other singular pronouns.

 Plural pronouns take the place of plural nouns or other plural pronouns.

 Match masculine pronouns to masculine nouns, and feminine pronouns to feminine nouns. Use neuter pronouns for objects and ideas (it, those, and the like) and gender-neutral pronouns (they/them/their/theirs) when the gender is unspecified or nonbinary. (For more information on gender-neutral pronouns, see “A Note about Pronouns” in the introduction.)

 Some personal pronouns refer to the speaker (I, me, we, and so forth) or to the person addressed (you, your, for example). These pronouns have no antecedent in the sentence. Other pronouns that refer to an undetermined person or thing (such as whatever or something) may also lack an antecedent in the sentence.

 Pronouns must express only one meaning. If the reader can’t grasp the pronoun-antecedent relationship, you have to reword the sentence.

Identifying Pronouns and Their Antecedents

241–250 Identify each pronoun in the sentence as well as the word(s) the pronoun replaces (the antecedent). Note: More than one pronoun may refer to the same antecedent, and sometimes a pronoun has no antecedent in the sentence.

241. Martin told his players they had to work harder.

242. Mary and her uncle watched their favorite show at his house.

243. In his sonnets, Shakespeare inspires readers to think deeply about the meaning of their lives.

244. My dog Rex wants to chew on his bone, but I can’t find it.

245. Whoever broke the window should pay for it!

246. The motorcycle that Jean built from a kit won the race, which was sponsored by a local bank.

247. None of the computer programs work until someone enters a password and username.

248. John, who needs a shave, broke his own razor and then borrowed mine.

249. What you want is impossible, but I will try to do everything anyway!

250. The dentist to whom Mary entrusted her teeth took good care of them.

Pairing Pronouns and Antecedents Correctly

251–260 What are the correct pronouns for each blank in the sentence? The intended meaning of each pronoun appears in parentheses.

251. Sara was delighted to receive the book and read _____ (book) aloud to _____ (Sara’s) friends.

252. Gregory prepared three reports for _____ (Gregory’s) supervisor, but when _____ (Gregory) handed _____ (reports) in, the supervisor was not happy.

253. Dora and I liked the dresses, but _____ (Dora and I) decided _____ (dresses) were too formal for the occasion.

254. The company where _____ (Arthur’s) father works is expanding _____ (the company’s) business to Asia.

255. The audience sat in _____ (audience’s) seats, patiently waiting for the performance to begin, but _____ (performance) was delayed.

256. Counting _____ (a group including the speaker) votes is an important task; _____ (inspectors) will ensure that _____ (task) is done properly.

257. James, _____ (James) loves football, plans to play _____ (football) in college.

258. Because neither of the boys has _____ (athlete’s) sneakers tied properly, _____ (the speaker) expect one of _____ (boys) to fall.

259. The diners in the restaurant want _____ (diners') meals right away, but Chef Helen will cook at _____ (Chef Helen’s) own pace.

260. When a person wins a prize, _____ (a group including the speaker) clap for _____ (someone).

Avoiding Vague Pronoun References

261–270 Which sentence(s) in the group of three use pronouns clearly and correctly?

261.

1 Ellen and her sister thought she got a good grade.

2 The pitcher and catcher worked on his throwing speed.

3 The umpire found his glasses just in time for the playoffs.

262.

1 The bowl was on the table with the green tablecloth; I washed it.

2 Joe and I hung our posters on the south wall.

3 I hope you like the figs; I picked them myself.

263.

1 She is tall and strong; those are attractive qualities.

2 Summer gives me more free time than winter, so I prefer it.

3 When I slammed the vase into the wall, I broke it.

264.

1 The boy Mary insulted walked away from her angrily.

2 I love that horror film; there are five wonderfully scary monsters in it.

3 Patrick wants to study law because his father is one.

265.

1 The tacks and nails from that store are very sharp, so I always buy them.

2 The tacks covered all the seats, which were dangerous.

3 I read many modern novels, and I usually like them.

266.

1 The library book has a stain on the cover, but I can’t remove it.

2 The fish that Catherine bought had red spots on its tail.

3 His grandmother introduced Mark to opera, and he loved it.

267.

1 The architect likes the new building, which was designed by his competitor.

2 Gloria explained that she was late because her train left an hour past its scheduled time.

3 Charlie watches football and baseball games all day long and wishes he could be a professional at it.

268.

1 Georgina put one more card on top of the four she had fashioned into a little house, but it fell.

2 The computer mouse I dropped broke into three pieces, but I glued them back together.

3 I did my homework in the middle of the night without a flashlight, which was a problem.

269.

1 The paper it says that war may break out within the next two days.

2 In an article in the paper it says that soldiers will report for duty tomorrow.

3 The government hopes to avoid war because of its high cost in both money and lives.

270.

1 The Yankee was a great hitter, but the other team’s star was better at it.

2 The shades let in some light; they were translucent.

3 Allowing some sunlight reduces the need for strong electric lights, which may not be energy efficient.