Revised as of
27 Jan 2023
This is one I am always careful of when editing. It’s too easy to get carried away with the writing, and if you are the author, going back and proofreading rarely helps as you’re too close to the story. You know what you mean, and so it reads perfectly. To you.
The number of times I’ve gone over a sentence, trying to figure out to whom or what the her (or he, his, she, etc.,) is referring . . . When I go over my own writing, I frequently find myself rewriting that bit to ensure people will know that I meant the Mary who had the little lamb and not the Karen with the wolf.
Jamie and Tom were picking his nose. Yeahhh, and the question has to be asked, ick. Whose nose is being picked?
Grammar Explanations is . . .
. . . an evolving list of the structural rules and principles that determines where words are placed in phrases or sentences as well as how the language is spoken. Sometimes I run across an example that helps explain better or another “also known as”. Heck, there’s always a better way to explain it, so if it makes quicker and/or better sense, I would appreciate suggestions and comments from anyone on an area of grammar with which you struggle or on which you can contribute more understanding.
If you found this post on “Antecedent” interesting, consider subscribing to KD Did It, if you’d like to track this post for future updates.
| Antecedent | |||||||
| Definition: A noun word, noun phrase, or noun clause that is replaced by a third-person pronoun when mentioned again in the same sentence or later.
Post Contents: Maintaining agreement between antecedent and pronoun requires a: |
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| Types of Antecedent-Pronoun Combinations | |||||||
| Personal Pronoun | Definition: Specifically refers to a particular person, group, or thing | ||||||
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List of Third-Person Personal Pronouns | ||||||
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| he him his himself |
she her hers herself |
it its itself |
they them their theirs themselves |
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| Analysis of the Antecedent-Personal Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
Adeline bit her lip. Our carnivorous friends will not attend the picnic because they despise tofu hotdogs and black bean burgers. When Kris sprained his ankle, Coach Ames replaced him with Jasper, a much slower runner. Eating with your mouth closed has several benefits. Most importantly, it keeps people from turning away in disgust. Karline hopes that her roommates remember to walk the new puppy. It will mean less urine to mop up when she gets home. Emily is nice because she brings me flowers. |
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| Demonstrative Pronoun | Definition: Indicates if something is near or far from the speaker/writer. It can also indicate the singular or plural. | ||||||
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List of Demonstrative Pronouns | ||||||
| that | this | these | those | ||||
| Analysis of the Antecedent-Demonstrative Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
Jackson rides his skateboard to work. Now this is an eco-friendly mode of transportation! You need to work on throwing large, unwieldy objects and catching heavy things. Those are the skills you must acquire to be a successful chainsaw juggler. Francine prays that the neighbors will keep their barking dog inside. That will allow her to get a good night’s sleep. |
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| Relative Pronoun | Definition: Modifies a word, phrase, or idea in the independent clause | ||||||
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List of Relative Pronouns | ||||||
| who whom |
whose | that | which | ||||
| Analysis of the Antecedent-Relative Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
Principal Meyers, whose nose hair curled outside his nostrils, delivered the morning announcements. The dish that contains the leftover squid eyeball stew cannot go in the microwave. Eating ice cream for dinner, which might not be nutritionally smart, is what Teresa wanted after her long day of waitressing. |
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| Maintain Agreement Between Antecedent & Pronoun | |||||||
| Rule: The antecedent (noun or noun phrase) and the pronoun that later replaces the antecedent must agree. If the antecedent is cat, the pronoun is it, its, she, he, her, or him; if the antecedent is dogs, the pronoun is their, etc. | |||||||
| Single Antecedent-Single Pronoun | Rule: Singular antecedents take singular pronouns | ||||||
| List of Third-Person Singular Pronouns | |||||||
| he him his |
she her hers |
it its |
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| Analysis of the Single Antecedent-Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
The cat yowled its happiness for tuna. The cat yowled her happiness for tuna. |
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| Each/Every = Single | Rule: If each or every is included in front of a plural antecedent (no matter how many), it becomes singular and requires a singular pronoun | ||||||
| Analysis of the Each/Every Antecedent | |||||||
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Legend:
Each beetle and baby snake was thankful it escaped the lawnmower blade. Each beetle, baby snake, worm, centipede, lizard, grasshopper, and toad was thankful it escaped the lawnmower blade. |
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| Plural Antecedent-Plural Pronoun | Rule: Plural antecedents take plural pronouns | ||||||
| List of Third-Person Plural Pronouns | |||||||
| they them |
their theirs |
who whom whose |
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| Analysis of the Plural Antecedent-Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
The cats yowled their happiness for tuna. |
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| 1 + 1 = Plural Pronoun | Rule: Two singular nouns/antecedents make it a plural pronoun | ||||||
| Analysis of the Plural Antecedent-Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
The beetle and baby snake were thankful they escaped the lawnmower blade. |
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| Correlative Conjunction Joins Antecedents | Rule: If you use correlative conjunctions (see list below) to join the antecedents, only the second antecedent counts for agreement:
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| List of Correlative Conjunctions | |||||||
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| Analysis of the Antecedent-Correlative Conjunction | |||||||
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Legend:
Neither the neighbors’ children nor Nora could find her dog. Neither Nora nor the neighbors’ children could find their dog. Either the Petersons or Mary has to make her move soon. Either Mary or the Petersons have to make their move soon. |
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| Singular Indefinite Pronoun-as-Antecedent | Definition: Even though the singular indefinite pronouns listed below may seem plural, they are considered singular.
Rule: When used as an antecedent, you must use the singular. |
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| List of Singular Indefinite Pronouns | |||||||
| each either neither anybody anyone anything |
everybody everyone everything |
nobody no one nothing |
somebody someone something |
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| Analysis of the Singular Indefinite Pronoun as Antecedent-Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
Neither of Tiffany’s boyfriends knows he has competition. After diving for a hour at 60 feet, everybody will have to wait an hour before her next dive. Does anybody know if he has a flashlight? |
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| Collective Noun-as-Antecedent | Definition: A collective noun is a term that refers to any group with two or more members. It takes a singular or plural noun when:
You can use the verb as an aid to determining if it’s singular or plural. Read more about the group noun in the “Noun” post. |
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| List of (Some) Collective Nouns | |||||||
| army class clergy committee company crowd |
enemy family fleet flock government |
group majority mess number pack |
pad population public staff team |
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| Analysis of the Collective Noun as Antecedent-Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
The clergy at St. Marks has its annual retreat every May. The government has its head up its collective . . . The committee has adjourned its meeting. A number of quilters did their shopping at several stores. The police are on their way. The class began arguing with their teacher about their homework. The team spends their off-time pursuing a variety of hobbies. |
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| Schools, Businesses, and Organizations as Antecedent | Definition: More collective nouns, only they’re proper nouns
Rule: When the name of a school, a business, or an organization is an antecedent, use a singular pronoun |
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| Analysis of the School / Business / Organization-as-Antecedent-Singular Pronoun | |||||||
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Legend:
British Petroleum will be under governmental oversight for years as a result of its conduct and safety practices after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Takefuku is a restaurant in Tokyo famous for its preparation of fugu. Apple is known for its attention to design and detail. |
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| Clearing Up the Other Pronoun | “C.S. Lakin has an eye-opening post that notes a problem with others.
Be aware of the general idea of this problem when working with other pronouns. Always be sure that it’s obvious to which noun the pronoun is referring. I see it as a problem that includes parallelism and agreement, only not your usual parallel or agreement. What can I say? It’s English. |
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| Rule: Provide a clear antecedent to which other refers. Lakin suggests that “it’s a pronoun without a noun”, and that you need to find out what the proper nouns have in common. | |||||||
| Find What the “Collective” Has in Common | |||||||
| The Problem Sentence:
Legend:
Jesse’s artwork has been displayed in the Omaha Public Library, Creighton University, and the governor’s mansion, among others. Venues is common to all three places Jesse’s artwork has been displayed in the Omaha Public Library, Creighton University, and the governor’s mansion, among other venues. Version 2 Jesse’s artwork has been displayed in venues such as the Omaha Public Library, Creighton University, and the governor’s mansion, among others. Version 3 Jesse has created artwork for doctors, lawyers, politicians, and others. |
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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!
Satisfy your curiosity about other Grammar Explanations by exploring its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Word Confusions, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.
Resources for Antecedent
Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I will earn a small percentage, if you should buy it. It does not affect the price you pay.
Lakin, C.S. “Clear and Present Antecedents.” Live, Write, Thrive.com. 19 Dec 2014. Web. n.d. <https://www.livewritethrive.com/?s=pronoun+without+a+noun>.
Simmons, Robin L. “The Antecedent.” Chomp Chomp. n.d. Web. n.d. <http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/antecedent.htm>.
Pinterest Photo Credits:
Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, and Ralph Bellamy from His Girl Friday is in the public domain, via PxHere.
