1. Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas would have been asked if he would sustain the DILG policy or not.

2. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago opposed the confirmation of no-shows for the snub she got in the investigation on Friday.

3. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa also did not show up, but his appointment had already been confirmed.

4. Santiago did not spare fellow senators in her blistering offensive during the radio interview after both Enrile and Lacson raised potential technical problems.

5. Malacañang announced last week its discovery of a P400-million deal for the supply of M4 rifles to the Philippine National Police was overpriced.

6. Nobody explained the reason of his/her absence from the hearing on revision of codes and laws.

7. Many gave their comments and were blasted by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

8. Some of the negative campaign appears to have run its course.

9. “Some of the politicians are hypocrites because they will attack you behind your back and act like you’re sweethearts when you’re facing each other,” Santiago said.

10.The President and son of Ninoy gave his commands and the functions of the interior secretary.

11.Cabinet members and the senators submitted their tax returns to the BIR.

12.Either the cabinet members or Lacson yesterday denied that he was instructed by Malacañang to boycott the hearing.

13.Neither Justice Secretary Leila de Lima nor Environment Secretary Ramon Paje gave his answers to the questions about Puno’s stint as interior undersecretary in charge of police affairs.

14.The committee has come up with its decision.

15.The committee will veto their appointments.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns.

The antecedent of a pronoun is the word to which the pronoun refers.

Agreement is the act of agreeing or of coming to a mutual arrangement.

BASIC RULE

A pronoun and its antecedent must agree in person, number and

gender.

Person is used here as a grammar word and means: 

1st person or the self (I, me, we), 2nd person or the person spoken to (you), 3rd person or the person spoken about (he, she, him, her, they, them).

AGREE IN PERSON

1. Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas would have been asked whether he would sustain the DILG policy.

2. Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago opposed the confirmation of no-shows for the snub she got in the investigation on Friday.

RULE:The pronoun should agree in person with its antecedent. There must not be a shift in point of view.

It is the membership in a particular class.

AGREE IN GENDER

Masculine - he, his, himFeminine - she, her, hers Neuter/neutral -it, its (when the antecedent has no gender association)

3. Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa also did not show up, but his appointment had already been confirmed.

4. Santiago did not spare fellow senators in her blistering offensive during the radio interview after both Enrile and Lacson raised potential technical problems.

5. Malacañang announced last week its discovery of a P400-million deal for the supply of M4 rifles to the Philippine National Police was overpriced.

RULE: The pronoun agrees with its antecedent in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter).

NOTE: When a singular pronoun must refer to both feminine and masculine antecedents (COMMON), the phrase his or her is acceptable. This is to avoid what they consider to be sexist language.

In the 1950s, rule books would In the 1950s, rule books would have recommended using the have recommended using the masculinemasculine pronoun exclusively. pronoun exclusively.

In the 1950s, rule books would In the 1950s, rule books would have recommended using the have recommended using the masculinemasculine pronoun exclusively. pronoun exclusively.

Oh, my! Somebody left his lights on.

Oh, my! Somebody left his lights on.

In the 1970s, after criticism from feminists In the 1970s, after criticism from feminists and civil rights activists, rule books next and civil rights activists, rule books next suggested using suggested using bothboth genders so that genders so that males males and femalesand females had had equal representationequal representation in the in the language. language.

In the 1970s, after criticism from feminists In the 1970s, after criticism from feminists and civil rights activists, rule books next and civil rights activists, rule books next suggested using suggested using bothboth genders so that genders so that males males and femalesand females had had equal representationequal representation in the in the language. language.

Somebody left his or her lights on.

Somebody left his or her lights on.

I can see them along the watch

tower . . .

I can see them along the watch

tower . . .

Do not be Do not be confused with confused with it’sit’s

and and itsits. .

Do not be Do not be confused with confused with it’sit’s

and and itsits. .

•It’sIt’s [with an apostrophe] means [with an apostrophe] means it isit is or or it hasit has. .

•ItsIts [without an apostrophe] means [without an apostrophe] means belonging to itbelonging to it——for example, for example, itsits bowl, bowl, itsits sharp teeth, sharp teeth, itsits long claws, etc. long claws, etc. (shows possession/ownership)(shows possession/ownership)

CompaniesCompanies, , organizationsorganizations, and , and schoolsschools are are singularsingular and thus and thus require require singularsingular pronouns. pronouns.

CompaniesCompanies, , organizationsorganizations, and , and schoolsschools are are singularsingular and thus and thus require require singularsingular pronouns. pronouns.

One urban legend is that McDonald’s makes its hamburgers with kangaroo meat.One urban legend is that McDonald’s makes its hamburgers with kangaroo meat.

The World Wildlife Fund uses the donations it receives to trample the rights of third-world people who share the habitat of endangered animals.

The World Wildlife Fund uses the donations it receives to trample the rights of third-world people who share the habitat of endangered animals.

A pronoun agrees with its atecedent in number.

If the antecedent of a pronoun is singular, a singular pronoun is required. If the antecedent is plural, a plural pronoun is required.

AGREE IN NUMBER

Know the difference Know the difference between these between these singularsingular and and pluralplural pronouns. pronouns.

Know the difference Know the difference between these between these singularsingular and and pluralplural pronouns. pronouns.

Singular• He, she, it• Him, her, it• His, hers, its• Himself,

herself, itself

Singular• He, she, it• Him, her, it• His, hers, its• Himself,

herself, itself

Plural• They

• Them

• Their, theirs

• Themselves

Plural• They

• Them

• Their, theirs

• Themselves

Indefinite pronouns refer to an unknown or undetermined person, place or thing.

Indefinite Pronouns

Nobody explained the reason of his/her absence from the hearing on revision of codes and laws.

Many gave their comments and were blasted by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

These These indefinite pronounsindefinite pronouns are are always always singular.singular.These These indefinite pronounsindefinite pronouns are are always always singular.singular.

• Each, either, neither

• Anyone, anybody, anything

• Everyone, everybody, everything

• No one, nobody, nothing

• Someone, somebody, something

• Each, either, neither

• Anyone, anybody, anything

• Everyone, everybody, everything

• No one, nobody, nothing

• Someone, somebody, something

These These indefinite pronounsindefinite pronouns are are always always plural.plural.These These indefinite pronounsindefinite pronouns are are always always plural.plural.

• Both

• Few

• Many

• Several

• Both

• Few

• Many

• Several

Some of the negative campaign appears to have run its course.

“Some of the politicians are hypocrites because they will attack you behind your back and act like you’re sweethearts when you’re facing each other,” Santiago said.

These indefinite pronouns are either plural or singular.May be referred to by a singular or plural, depending on the meaning intended.

These indefinite pronouns are either plural or singular.May be referred to by a singular or plural, depending on the meaning intended.

• All

• Any

• Most

• None

• Some

• All

• Any

• Most

• None

• Some

Compound Antecedents Joined by “and”

Compound antecedents joined by and ordinarily require a plural pronoun:

Mary and Bill ran until they were exhausted.

The President and son of Ninoy gave his commands and the functions of the interior secretary.

Cabinet members and the senators submitted their tax returns to the BIR.

RULE: The pronoun to use depends on whether the compound antecedent is singular or plural in meaning.

Either the cabinet members or Lacson yesterday denied that he was instructed by Malacañang to boycott the hearing.

Neither Justice Secretary Leila de Lima nor Environment Secretary Ramon Paje gave his answers to the questions about Puno’s stint as interior undersecretary in charge of police affairs.

Compound Antecedents Joined by “either … oreither … or, , neither neither

… nor… nor, and , and not only … but not only … but alsoalso”

RULE: Of the two antecedents in the

sentence, the pronoun must agree with the closer one (nearer

antecedent).

RULE: Of the two antecedents in the

sentence, the pronoun must agree with the closer one (nearer

antecedent).

Collective Nouns

• Collective nouns are the names of a number (or collection) of people, animals, or things taken together and spoken of as one whole.

• Collective nouns are groups of Collective nouns are groups of people: people: teamteam, , juryjury, , classclass, , committeecommittee, , armyarmy, , familyfamily, etc., etc.

 

The committee has come up with its decision.

The committee will veto their appointments.

RULE: RULE: Collective nounsCollective nouns are are singular or plural, singular or plural, depending on depending on context context oror the meaning intendedthe meaning intended..

RULE: RULE: Collective nounsCollective nouns are are singular or plural, singular or plural, depending on depending on context context oror the meaning intendedthe meaning intended..• If all members are acting If all members are acting in unisonin unison, ,

treat the collective noun as treat the collective noun as singularsingular and use a and use a singular singular pronounpronoun..

• If, however, all members are acting If, however, all members are acting individuallyindividually, treat the noun as , treat the noun as pluralplural and use a and use a plural pronounplural pronoun..

Quick TestQuick TestQuick TestQuick Test

1. At the zoo, every lion roared

their approval when the mean child slipped in a puddle and cracked his head on the sidewalk.

1. At the zoo, every lion roared

their approval when the mean child slipped in a puddle and cracked his head on the sidewalk.

theirtheirtheirtheir

Directions:Directions: Identify the pronoun and its Identify the pronoun and its antecedent. Analyze whether they agree antecedent. Analyze whether they agree with each other or not.with each other or not.

itsits

2. Each of those worried students is wondering how to answer effectively on their pronoun agreement quiz.

2. Each of those worried students is wondering how to answer effectively on their pronoun agreement quiz.

theirtheirtheirtheir

Or try this:Or try this: Those worried studentsThose worried students are wondering how to answer effectively are wondering how to answer effectively on on theirtheir pronoun agreement quiz. pronoun agreement quiz.

hishishishisherher

3. Both Mrs. Williams and her students are happy to hear that they can order steak for their

lunch.

3. Both Mrs. Williams and her students are happy to hear that they can order steak for their

lunch.Correct!Correct!Correct!Correct!

4. Not only my two girls but also Teddy loves to eat pepperoni that I pull off my pizza to give to them.

4. Not only my two girls but also Teddy loves to eat pepperoni that I pull off my pizza to give to them. themthem

..themthem

..

Remember that the Remember that the closercloser of the two of the two antecedents counts:antecedents counts: Not onlyNot only my two my two girls girls but alsobut also Teddy Teddy loves to eat loves to eat pepperoni that I pull off my pizza to give to pepperoni that I pull off my pizza to give to himhim..

him.him.him.him.

5. Oh, no! Someone left their greasy French fries on the essay that I have to turn in to Mrs. Neal next hour!

5. Oh, no! Someone left their greasy French fries on the essay that I have to turn in to Mrs. Neal next hour!

theirtheirtheirtheirhishishishisherherherher

Or try this:Or try this: SeveralSeveral left left their their greasy French fries on the paper that I have to on the paper that I have to turn in to Mrs. Neal next hour!turn in to Mrs. Neal next hour!

6. Both Suzi and Beth will try to see their parents over the

weekend.

6. Both Suzi and Beth will try to see their parents over the

weekend.Correct!Correct!Correct!Correct!

7. The choir presented its final

performance.

7. The choir presented its final

performance.Correct!Correct!Correct!Correct!

8. The class cheered their approval when Dr. Shuman postponed the frog dissection so that the students could go home early on Friday afternoon.

8. The class cheered their approval when Dr. Shuman postponed the frog dissection so that the students could go home early on Friday afternoon.

theirtheirtheirtheir

Or try this:Or try this: The The studentsstudents cheered cheered theirtheir approval when Dr. Shuman approval when Dr. Shuman postponed the frog dissection .postponed the frog dissection . .. ..

itsits

9. Either Jane or her friends will present

their project.

9. Either Jane or her friends will present

their project.Correct!Correct!Correct!Correct!

10.The committee unanimously decided to impeach the president because they could no longer stand his long-winded speeches and unclear policies.

10.The committee unanimously decided to impeach the president because they could no longer stand his long-winded speeches and unclear policies.

theythey

Or try this:Or try this: The The committee memberscommittee members unanimously decided to impeach the unanimously decided to impeach the president because president because theythey could no longer could no longer stand .stand . .. ..

itititit

I've always believed in God. I also think that's the sort of thing that either

comes as part of the equipment, the capacity to believe, or at some point in

your life, when you're in a position where you actually need help from a

power greater than yourself, you simply make an agreement. 

Stephen King 

Thank you!^_^