An antecedent is the word or phrase that a pronoun refers to. 👤➡️📖
Example: Sarah (antecedent) said she (pronoun) is happy. 😊
Rules to Remember:
Match in Number 🔢
Singular antecedent → Singular pronoun
Plural antecedent → Plural pronoun
Example: The boy lost his bag. 🎒
Match in Gender 🚹🚺
Male antecedent → he, him, his
Female antecedent → she, her, hers
Neutral/thing → it, its
Clarity Matters 🔍
Pronouns should clearly refer to one specific antecedent, not confuse the reader.
Example (confusing): When Tom met Jack, he smiled. (Who smiled? 🤔)
Multiple Possible Antecedents 🧑🤝🧑
Sometimes, a pronoun can refer to more than one word in a sentence.
Example: Anna told Mary that she was late. (She = Anna or Mary?)
How to Identify All Possible Antecedents:
✔️ Look for all nouns in the sentence that the pronoun could replace. ✔️ Check if number & gender match. ✔️ Think about the logic/meaning of the sentence.
Examples:
Emily gave Sarah her notebook.
Possible antecedents for her:
Emily (her notebook = Emily’s?)
Sarah (her notebook = Sarah’s?)
The teachers spoke to the students before they left.
Possible antecedents for they:
Teachers 👩🏫
Students 👨🎓
When John called David, he answered quickly.
Possible antecedents for he:
John ☎️
David 📞
Quick Tips:
Always ask: “Who or what does the pronoun stand for?” 🤔
If there’s confusion, rewrite the sentence with the noun instead of the pronoun. ✍️
Clear antecedents make writing stronger and easier to read. 💪📚
✨✅ Remember: A pronoun must have a clear and definite antecedent to avoid confusion.
