Agreement of A Pronoun with its Antecedent
Agreement of A Pronoun with its Antecedent :
Antecedent : the word or phrase or sentence that is represented by another word such as a Pronoun
The Indian Peace Keeping Force has to suffer terrible privations in its camp.
Its - pronoun
The Indian Peace keeping Force – Antecedent
Note : The Pronoun, used instead of a noun, must be of the same number, gender and person
The Jury were divided in their opinion.
Jury - Antecedent (Used Plurally)
Their - Pronoun (Plural Pronoun)
The Secretary and Cashier is smart in his duty.
The Secretary and Cashier - Antecedent his - Pronoun
Every boy and every girl is studying well.
Every boy - Singular
Every girl – Singular
Every boy is studying well and every girl is studying well.
Study the following.
Rama or Sita has to help.
They are on the way to be here.
(They = Rama and Sita)
Rama or Sita has to help
Rama has to help or Sita has to help
Either Rama or Sita has to help.
Rama or Govind must give his money.
('his' - refers to either Rama or Govind)
Neither Karim nor Kishore has done his lesson
Either the Minister or his secretaries have failed in their duty.
Minister - Singular
Secretaries - Plural
have failed - Plural verb
their - Pronoun Plural
Note : As "Secretaries" is plural, plural verb has to be used.
You and I have finished our job well.
You – second person
I – first person
Our – first person plural
You and I - Correct expression
I and You – incorrect expression
You and Mary have succeeded in your venture.
You – second person
Mary – third person
Your – second person
Good manners require You and I.
You and I must do the work.
He and I can do it.
Study the following correct sentences.
(i) The gifts are for you and me. (not I)
for – Preposition
me - Object of for – accusative case
(ii) My wife asked my brother and me to dinner.
asked - verb - It's object is ME
me - object of 'asked'
pronoun - accusative case.
(iii) It is I. (not me)
(iv) It is he. (not him)
(v) Who said that?
He did (He did say that, "say that" - understood)
(vi) It was I who knocked at your door.
(formal English)
It was me who knocked at your door.
(informal English)
(vii) My brother is as tall as I am.
I know more than she does.
(viii) My wife is prettier than she (is pretty)
(ix) He loves you more than (he loves) me.
(x) He is less tall than me.
The Accusative is often used in the place of nominative after verbs of incomplete predication -be, become etc.)
(xi) No one will give you money but me (not I)
but - Preposition - Governs 'me'
me - Object of the preposition 'me' accusative pronouns
Birds build their nests in trees.
Birds - Common noun
their - Pronoun, used instead of Birds
(Possessive - used as adjective)
Rosy, you, are a clever girl.
Rosy - Proper Noun
You - 2nd person pronoun used instead of 'Rosy' subject of 'are'
The female lion has no mane.
She is called a lioness.
(She - used for 'The female lion’)
I am a fool
I - First person - pronoun (subject of 'am')
I scored as many points as they (not 'them')
Sita and I were present (not me)
Between you and me, I do not believe him (not 'I')
No one but him was present (not 'he')
(but : except - used as preposition)
None as foolish as they that will not agree, (not 'them')
Agreement of A Pronoun with its Antecedent
The Grammar Index
