Grammar Handbook: Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

The Center for Writing Studies, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A pronoun is a substitute for a noun. The pronouns or nouns that they refer to are called antecedents. A pronoun and its antecedent are in agreement if they are both singular or both plural.

Example: Dr. Morganstern finished his rounds.

Frequent misuse of plural pronouns occurs with two types of singular antecedents: indefinite pronouns and generic nouns.

:: Indefinite Pronouns
Indefinite pronouns refer to nonspecific persons or things. They include:

any
either
everything
no one
each
anybody
everybody
neither
someone
anyone
everyone
none
something

Example: In class everyone performs at his or her [not their] level of ability.
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:: Generic Nouns
Generic nouns represent a typical member or any member of a group, such as a typical student or any lawyer.

Example: Every student must pull all-nighters regularly if he or she wants to excel.

To correct a mistakenly plural pronoun referring to a singular general noun, you can do one of the three things mentioned above.
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:: Suggestions for Working with Generic Nouns
: Treat collective nouns as singular unless the meaning is clearly plural. Collective nouns include such words as: jury, committee, crowd, family, audience, couple, troop, team, class.

Ordinarily the group functions as a unit, so the noun should be considered singular; however, if the members of the group function as individuals, the noun should be treated as plural.

Example: The O.J. Simpson jury has reached its decision.
Compare: The Illini crowd clapped their hands.

: Compound antecedents connected by "and" should be treated as plural.

Example: Jack and Jill climbed up a hill and fetched their pail of water.

: When compound antecedents are connected by "or" or "nor" (or by "either...or" or "neither...nor"), make the pronoun agree with the nearer antecedent.

Examples:
Either Desi or Lucy should be fired from her job.
Neither the engineering student nor the biology majors could remember their schedules.
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:: Correcting Agreement Problems
To correct a mistakenly plural pronoun referring to a singular indefinite pronoun or generic noun, you can do one of three things:

: Replace the plural pronoun with he or she or [his or her.]

Example: When someone has been drinking, he or she is probably acting dumb.

: Make the antecedent plural.

Example: When frat boys have been drinking, they are probably acting dumb.

: Rewrite the sentence so that no problem of agreement exists.

Example: A frat boy who has been drinking is probably acting dumb.
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