As a copy editor, one of the most common mistakes I come across is a lack of pronoun antecedent agreement. This occurs when a pronoun (such as he, she, it, they, etc.) does not match its antecedent, or the noun that it refers to. For example, “John went to the store and bought a hat. He loves it.” The pronoun “he” refers to John, but “it” refers to the hat, creating a conflict in the sentence.
To avoid this type of error, it’s important to have a good understanding of pronoun antecedent agreement. One way to help with this is by using a pronoun antecedent agreement chart. This chart lists out the most common types of pronouns and their corresponding antecedents, making it easier to ensure that your pronouns match their nouns.
Here is an example of a pronoun antecedent agreement chart:
Pronoun | Antecedent
he, she, it | singular noun (e.g. John, the dog)
they | plural noun (e.g. the dogs, the students)
we, you | first and second person plural (e.g. we, our team)
I | first person singular (e.g. I, me, myself)
you | second person singular (e.g. you, your)
When using a pronoun, it’s important to ensure that it matches its antecedent in number (singular or plural) and gender (masculine or feminine). For example, “The girl rode her bike to the park” uses a feminine pronoun (her) to match the feminine antecedent (girl).
However, it’s important to note that not all nouns have a specific gender. In these cases, it’s acceptable to use either a masculine or feminine pronoun. For example, “The doctor gave their patient a prescription” uses a gender-neutral pronoun (their) to match the gender-neutral antecedent (doctor).
In conclusion, using a pronoun antecedent agreement chart can be a helpful tool for ensuring that your writing is grammatically correct and easy to read. By taking the time to match your pronouns with their antecedents, you’ll be able to communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. Remember to always double-check your work, and don’t be afraid to seek feedback from other writers or editors. Happy writing!
