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Business Writing Tips from The Writing Center
Pronoun Agreement and Reference (3)
January 4, 2007
Here are our remaining rules for pronoun agreement and reference:
- With two or more antecedents
(words replaced by pronouns)
joined by and, use a plural pronoun.
Example:
Jean and Shirley want their computers upgraded.
With two or more singular antecedents joined by
or or nor,
use a singular pronoun. If one of the antecedents joined by
or or nor
is plural and the other is singular, make the pronoun agree with the
nearer.
Examples:
Neither the
administrative assistant (singular)
nor her secretary (singular)
wants her (singular)
hours changed.
Neither the
administrative assistant (singular)
nor her co-workers
(plural) want their
(plural) hours changed.
Use singular pronouns to refer to collective nouns if the members
of the group are acting as one unit; use plural pronouns if the
members are acting separately.
Examples:
The committee
(acting as a unit)
made its
(singular) final recommendation.
After the meeting, the committee
(acting separately) went their
(plural) separate ways.
Do not shift the person or number of
your subject within a sentence.
Not:
When a person (3rd person)
has polished his (3rd person)
writing skills, you (2nd person)
must apply what you (2nd person)
have learned to your (2nd person)
daily writing.
But:
When you (2nd person) have polished
your (2nd person) writing skills, you
(2nd person) must apply what you (2nd
person) have learned to your (2nd
person) daily writing.
Not: A
set (singular) of encyclopedias is
expensive, but they (plural) are very
helpful.
But: A
set (singular) of encyclopedias is
expensive, but it (singular) is very
helpful.
A pronoun must refer to a specific noun or pronoun.
> Avoid ambiguous references to two
possible antecedents.
Not: We
expect Ted Allen and Richard Spiro at 10:00. He will discuss
marketing strategies. (Does he refer to Ted or
Richard?)
But: We
expect Ted Allen and Richard Spiro at 10:00. Ted will discuss
marketing strategies.
>
Avoid references to vague or implied antecedents.
Be especially careful with the pronouns it
and this. If you can't identify the
antecedent, revise the sentence.
Not:
Employees
should submit time cards at the end of each shift. This will prevent errors in payroll.
(Does this refer to shift?)
But :
Employees
should submit time cards at the end of each shift. Following
this procedure will prevent errors in
payroll.
To comment on this topic, visit our
Business Writing Tips Forum.
This edition was adapted from our
Business Grammar Program.
Previous editions
may be read at
http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.
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