51 Pronoun Power: Mastering Agreement and Usage for Clear Writing

Pronouns, while seemingly simple, can be surprisingly complex. Because we use pronouns so frequently in everyday speech (and often hear them used incorrectly), it can be challenging to apply the rules consistently in writing. This chapter will cover key pronoun principles, emphasizing the importance of agreement and correct case, and remind you that pronoun mastery is a proofreading skill. Knowing the rules is essential for evaluating feedback from AI tools and making informed decisions about your writing.

Pronoun Basics: Replacement and Agreement

A pronoun replaces a noun (the antecedent) to avoid repetition and make language more concise. It’s crucial to remember that a pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular or plural).

• Example: Justin is going to his house. (The pronoun “his” replaces the noun “Justin.”)

• Agreement Error: One of the girls in my class broke their ankle. (Incorrect: “their” is plural, but “one” is singular. Correct: her ankle.)

• Special Cases: “All,” “some,” “any,” and “most” can be singular or plural depending on the noun in the prepositional phrase that follows. “All of the students ate their cookies” is correct because “students” is plural.

Tricky Pronouns: One, Body, Each

Words like “one” (and words ending in “one,” such as “everyone,” “no one,” “someone”), words ending in “body” (such as “everybody,” “nobody,” “anybody”), and the word “each” are always singular.

• Examples:
  • Everyone should bring his or her own lunch.
  • Each student completed their assignment. (Incorrect; should be his or her assignment)
  • Each of the cheerleaders took her turn.

Pronouns as Subjects and Objects

Pronouns, like nouns, can function as subjects or objects in a sentence. It’s vital to use the correct case (subjective or objective) of the pronoun.

• Subject Pronouns: I, he, she, it, we, they, who

• Object Pronouns: Me, him, her, it, us, them, whom

• Examples:

  • I will be home late. (Subject)
  • She invited me to a party. (Object of the verb)
  • The gift is for him. (Object of the preposition)

Compound Pronoun Constructions

When combining two or more pronouns, use the same case for each pronoun. A helpful trick is to separate the pronouns and see how each would function individually.

• Incorrect: Him and me went to the store.

• Correct: He and I went to the store. (He went to the store. I went to the store.)

• Incorrect: The teacher talked to her and I.

• Correct: The teacher talked to her and me. (The teacher talked to her. The teacher talked to me.)

First, Second, and Third Person

• First Person: I, me, my, mine, we, us, our, ours (used when referring to oneself or a group including oneself)

• Second Person: You, your, yours (used when addressing the reader or listener)

• Third Person: He, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, theirs (used when referring to someone or something other than the speaker or reader)

Person and Academic Writing

Academic writing should generally be in the third person. Avoid using first person (“I,” “me,” “my”) unless specifically instructed otherwise, as it can weaken your argument and sound less objective. Avoid second person (“you,” “your”) as it can create false assumptions about the reader and make your writing less formal.

Possessive Pronouns vs. Contractions

Some possessive pronouns are commonly confused with contractions. Remember these distinctions:

• Possessive Pronouns (No Apostrophe): His, hers, its, ours, theirs, whose, yours

• Contractions (Apostrophe): It’s (it is), they’re (they are), who’s (who is), you’re (you are)

The Evolving Landscape of Pronouns

Traditional grammar rules dictate that pronouns should agree in number with the nouns they replace. A singular noun takes a singular pronoun (e.g., “the student…her”), and a plural noun takes a plural pronoun (e.g., “the students…their”). However, language is dynamic and evolves over time. It will continue to change in other ways during your lifetime too! Some changes are a result of politics and social trends. Others are influenced by other cultures and popular media or traditions. Keeping up with language changes can be frustrating when we’ve learned what is “correct” and “incorrect.” Changes don’t usually change what is grammatically correct. Rather they change what is considered acceptable. It is still important to learn what is foundational to correct grammar and then determine who to apply various cultural shifts for the context we are in.

Navigating Pronoun Usage: Context and Audience

The choice of pronoun can depend significantly on the intended audience and the purpose of the communication. Understanding the nuances of pronoun usage requires considering both grammatical correctness and the evolving conventions of language.

1. Grammatical Agreement: Adhering to traditional pronoun-antecedent agreement (singular with singular, plural with plural) ensures grammatical correctness. This is often the preferred approach in formal academic writing where established grammatical rules are typically prioritized.

2. Contemporary Usage: In broader contexts, including many forms of social communication, the singular “they/them/their” has become increasingly common. This usage is often observed when referring to individuals who identify as gender-neutral or non-binary, or when the gender of the individual is unknown or unspecified.

3. Audience Awareness: Effective communication requires understanding your audience. Consider the context and the potential impact of your pronoun choices on your communication. Different audiences may have different expectations and sensitivities regarding pronoun usage.

4. Contextual Appropriateness: The choice of pronoun can vary depending on the specific situation. What is appropriate in one setting (e.g., a casual conversation) might not be in another (e.g., a formal academic paper).

5. Clarity and Consistency: Regardless of your pronoun choices, maintain clarity and consistency throughout your writing. Avoid shifting between different pronouns for the same individual or group, as this can confuse your reader.

6. Evolving Conventions: Language is constantly evolving, and pronoun usage is a clear example of this change. Staying informed about current conventions and adapting your writing accordingly is an important part of effective communication. Be aware that conventions can shift over time and may vary depending on social and cultural factors. What is considered acceptable today may not be tomorrow, and vice versa. Therefore, it’s essential to remain adaptable and informed about evolving language norms.

Pronouns and the Writing Process

Just like with commas, correct pronoun usage is best addressed during the proofreading stage. Focus on developing your ideas during drafting and then refine your pronoun use later.

AI Tools and the Importance of Knowledge

AI writing tools can be valuable for identifying pronoun errors. However, they are not always correct. Your understanding of pronoun rules is essential for evaluating the AI’s suggestions and ensuring that your writing is accurate and clear. Use AI as a tool to assist you, not to replace your own knowledge and judgment.

Reading Questions:

1. Remembering: Identify two categories of pronouns discussed in the chapter,and provide an example of each.
2. Understanding: Explain in your own words the difference between subject and object pronouns, and why using the correct case is important.
3. Application: How would you correct the sentence “Each of the students completed their assignment” to ensure proper pronoun agreement?
4. Analysis: Why does the chapter emphasize the importance of understanding pronoun rules, even when using AI tools for proofreading?
5. Synthesis: Combine the concepts of “possessive pronouns” and “contractions” to create two sentences: one using the possessive pronoun “its” correctly, and another using the contraction “it’s” correctly. Explain the difference in meaning between the two sentences.
6. Evaluation: Based on the information in the chapter, what conclusions can you draw about the importance of mastering pronoun usage in academic writing and effective communication?