Question of Noun Pronoun Agreement

As a copy editor, understanding noun-pronoun agreement is essential to ensure that a document is grammatically correct and easy to read. In particular, it is important to address the question of noun-pronoun agreement.

Noun-pronoun agreement refers to the grammatical relationship between a noun and the pronoun that replaces it in a sentence. In general, pronouns must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they replace. For example, if the noun is singular, the pronoun must also be singular. If it is feminine, the pronoun must also be feminine.

Here are some common examples of noun-pronoun agreement errors:

1. Incorrect: Each of the students must bring his own books.

Correct: Each of the students must bring their own books.

In this example, the pronoun “his” is incorrect because it is singular and masculine, while “students” is plural. To avoid this agreement error, use the gender-neutral pronoun “their.”

2. Incorrect: The dog wagged it’s tail.

Correct: The dog wagged its tail.

In this sentence, the apostrophe in “it’s” indicates a contraction of “it is,” but the correct form in this case is the possessive pronoun “its” without an apostrophe.

3. Incorrect: The team won their first game.

Correct: The team won its first game.

In this example, the noun “team” is singular, and the pronoun must also be singular to show agreement.

4. Incorrect: John and Jane both won the ticket, and they were proud of themselves.

Correct: John and Jane both won the ticket, and they were proud of themselves.

In this sentence, the pronoun “they” refers to both John and Jane, but the sentence is unclear about which one it refers to. To avoid this confusion, use the pronoun “they” only when referring to plural nouns.

In conclusion, understanding noun-pronoun agreement is essential for writing clear, concise, and grammatically correct documents. By following the rules of agreement, you can ensure that your writing reflects a high level of professionalism and readability.