Vague Pronouns and Agreement Flashcards

Pronouns and Their Usage

• A pronoun replaces a noun in a sentence for clarity and conciseness.
• The antecedent is the noun that a pronoun refers to, essential for understanding meanings.

Pronoun Agreement Rules

• Pronouns must match their antecedents in terms of number (singular or plural).
• Pronouns should agree in person (first, second, or third).
• Pronouns must refer specifically to a particular noun to avoid confusion.

Types of Pronouns

• Subjective Pronouns: Act as the subject and perform the action (e.g., he, she, they).
• Objective Pronouns: Serve as the object of a sentence receiving the action (e.g., him, her, them).
• Possessive Pronouns: Indicate ownership (e.g., hers, mine, theirs).
• Demonstrative Pronouns: Point out specific nouns (e.g., this, that).
• Interrogative Pronouns: Used to ask questions (e.g., who, what).
• Indefinite Pronouns: Refer to non-specific nouns (e.g., everyone, both).
• Relative Pronouns: Introduce clauses that describe nouns (e.g., who, which).
• Reflexive Pronouns: Refer back to the subject (e.g., myself, themselves).
• Intensive Pronouns: Emphasize their antecedents (e.g., yourself, ourselves).

Singular and Plural Pronouns

• Singular Pronouns refer to one entity (e.g., I, he, she).
• Plural Pronouns refer to more than one entity (e.g., we, they).

Special Pronoun Usage

• Subject pronouns can rename the subject and follow linking verbs.
• Verbs must agree with the pronoun in number; singular antecedents require singular verbs.
• Antecedents that are possessive nouns should not be used.

Avoiding Vague Pronoun References

• Vague pronouns like "it" or "they" can create confusion; strive for specificity.
• Ensure pronouns clearly reference a single antecedent to prevent ambiguity.

Agreement Examples

• Singular Agreement: "Each of the clerks does a good deal of work around his office."
• Plural Agreement: "Both do a good job in their office."
• Always use singular verbs with singular antecedents (e.g., "Neither of them is available.").

Apostrophes and Possession

• Apostrophes indicate contractions but should not be used with possessive pronouns.

Tips for Clarity

• When using comparisons (than/as), complete the thought mentally to choose the correct pronoun.