Pronouns, Word Choice, Punctuation, and Modifiers

Pronoun Agreement, Reference, and Case

A pronoun can refer to a noun or noun phrase called its antecedent, but some pronouns, such as “I” and interrogative “who,” have no stated antecedent. For a sentence to remain clear and grammatically sound, a pronoun should refer clearly to its antecedent and agree with it in number and, when relevant, gender. When writing about a single person, singular “they” is acceptable. Problems arise when the link between the pronoun and its antecedent becomes clouded. An ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent in the sentence. In professional writing, replacing an ambiguous pronoun with a specific noun resolves confusion immediately.

Unclear writing also stems from vague references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when the intended antecedent is unclear, such as when “this” or “it” refers only to an implied idea rather than a specifically stated noun. Writers should remember that pronouns such as “it” and “this” should not refer vaguely to an entire clause or sentence. In contrast, the relative pronoun “which” may refer to a preceding clause when the meaning is clear.

Number agreement requires special attention with indefinite and collective nouns. Singular indefinite pronouns such as “everyone,” “each,” “neither,” and “somebody” take singular verbs. At the same time, singular “they” may be used to refer to a person represented by one of these indefinite pronouns. Conversely, plural indefinite pronouns, such as “both,” “few,” “many,” and “several,” require plural pronouns. Collective nouns follow a specific rule: a collective noun takes a singular pronoun when the group acts as a single unified entity. However, when referring to members of a group as individuals, writers should use a plural pronoun with an explicitly plural antecedent such as “members.” Keep in mind that conventions for pronouns referring to collective nouns vary by dialect.

Finally, pronouns must appear in the correct case based on their role in the sentence. Subject pronouns, including “I,” “he,” “she,” “we,” and “they,” function as the subjects of verbs. Object pronouns, including “me,” “him,” “her,” “us,” and “them,” function as direct objects, indirect objects, or objects of prepositions. A frequent challenge involves “who” and “whom”: the pronoun “who” functions as a subject, whereas “whom” functions as an object. When indicating ownership, remember that possessive forms such as “its,” “theirs,” “yours,” and “whose” do not contain apostrophes.