Pronouns Must Agree

Contributor: Suzanne Riordan. Lesson ID: 13945

Did you know that pronouns can disagree? It's true! Disagreeing pronouns make a sentence sound weird. This lesson teaches you how to recognize and fix those pronouns — all with a shopping theme!

categories

Writing

subject
English / Language Arts
learning style
Auditory, Visual
personality style
Lion, Otter
Grade Level
Middle School (6-8)
Lesson Type
Skill Sharpener

Lesson Plan - Get It!

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  • It's nice when people agree, isn't it?

When people agree with each other, there are no arguments, no tension, and no stress. There is just calmness and peace.

happy couple

When people don't agree, there is stress, uneasiness, and irritation.

upset couple

When pronouns don't agree, they create stress in a sentence. The sentence doesn't flow. It just sounds weird!

For example:

When a person goes to a store, they often want to buy stuff. They may want clothes, or you may want books. Whatever they're looking for, shopping is fun for us!

  • Did you notice all the errors in the above sentences?

Those errors are problems with pronoun agreement. The pronouns don't agree.

  • In the first sentence, a person doesn't agree with they.
  • In the second, they doesn't agree with you.
  • In the third sentence, they doesn't agree with us.

What a mess!

These mistakes are widespread. However, once you learn how to spot them in your writing and how to fix them, you will be on your way to becoming a great writer!

Learn more about pronoun agreement as you watch a portion of the following video.

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A pronoun and the word or phrase that it replaces have to agree in both person and number. Let's review those two things.

Agreement in Person

When talking about a piece of writing, the word person refers to the point of view of the narrator.

  First Person
    pronouns:

I

we

examples:

I'm going to buy a new computer.

We want a big-screen TV.

 

  Second Person
    pronouns:

you

examples:

Did you buy the cell phone that you wanted?

 

  Third Person
    pronouns:

he

she

it

they

examples:

He bought a Christmas present for his dad.

She needs a new jacket for the winter.

They are looking for a new swimming pool.

 

Explore a few examples.

 

I always buy milk because drinking milk at night helps you sleep better.

I and you are not the same person.

Change to: I always buy milk because drinking milk at night helps me sleep better.

girls buying milk

 

 

Mariah and Sarah often stop at the thrift store because you never know when you'll find a bargain.

Mariah and Sarah are third person, and you is second person.

Change to: Mariah and Sarah often stop at the thrift store because they never know when they'll find a bargain.

girls shopping

 

Agreement in Number

The pronoun and the word or phrase that is being replaced must also agree in number, meaning whether it's singular or plural.

  • If the antecedent (the word that's being replaced by the pronoun) is singular, then what should the pronoun be?

It should also be singular.

  • If the antecedent (the word that's being replaced by the pronoun) is plural, then what should the pronoun be?

You guessed it! It must also be plural.

Take a look at these examples.

 

When Helen and Barbara go shopping, she always buys a sweater.

  • Does she refer to Helen or Barbara?

It can't refer to both of them. Helen and Barbara is plural, and she is singular.

Change to: When Helen and Barbara go shopping, they always buy sweaters.

or: When Helen goes shopping with Barbara, she always buys a sweater.

girl shopping

 

 

One must be ready to encounter crowds if they go shopping on Christmas Eve.

The word one is a special kind of pronoun called an indefinite pronoun. It means a person. One is singular, so you cannot replace it with they which is plural.

Change to: One must be ready to encounter crowds if he (or she) goes shopping on Christmas Eve.

crowded shopping mall

 

Indefinite Pronouns

Indefinite pronouns are words such as:

  anyone   anybody
  everyone   everybody
  someone   somebody
  no one   nobody
  either   neither
  each   all
  some   any
  none    

 

These are treated as third person and, usually, singular.

Look at some examples.

 

Each of the girls wants to buy a bracelet to match their earrings.

Each should be treated as singular, so it doesn't match their.

Change to: Each of the girls wants to buy a bracelet to match her earrings.

girls shopping

 

 

Does anyone in the family need new sheets for their bed?

Anyone should be treated as singular, so it doesn't agree with their.

Change to: Does anyone in the family need new sheets for his or her bed?

family making the bed

 

 

Either James or Kevin needs a new seat for their bike.

Since it stands for James or Kevin, not both, the pronoun either is treated as singular and doesn't agree with their.

Change to: Either James or Kevin needs a new seat for his bike.

guys riding bikes

 

  • Got all that?

Remember: pronouns have to agree in person and number.

Go to the Got It? section and practice!

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