Pronoun-antecedent agreement and clarity — Digital SAT Reading & Writing practice
A pronoun must match its noun and point clearly to it.
Key ideas to know
Pronoun-Antecedent Number Agreement
Choose the correct pronoun to complete the sentence: The committee reviewed the proposal and submitted ___ report by Friday. (A) their (B) its
(B) its. Committee is a singular collective noun, so it takes the singular pronoun its.
Watch out: Assuming plural nouns like committee or board require they/them instead of it/its.
Fixing Vague Pronoun References
Which revision best fixes the vague pronoun? The manager told the assistant that she needed to work late. (A) Replace she with the manager (B) Keep she
(A). She could refer to either the manager or the assistant. Substitute the noun back into the sentence to verify a single clear antecedent.
Watch out: Leaving this/these/that/those or personal pronouns when two nouns of the same number appear nearby.
Avoiding Pronoun Person Shifts
The following sentence contains a pronoun person shift. Which option corrects it? If you study hard, one will surely pass the exam. (A) Change One to You (B) Change You to One
(A). The sentence shifts from second-person you to third-person one. Maintain consistent person by changing One to You.
Watch out: Mixing first, second, and third-person pronouns like I, you, he, or they in a single sentence breaks grammatical consistency.