Pronoun Agreement on ACT English Tips and Practice

Pronoun Agreement on ACT English Tips and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Pronoun agreement errors are an especiallyconfusing type of ACT English question because peopleoften misuse pronouns, especially when youspeak. In fact, I just made a pronoun mistake: can you spot it? Take a closer look at the second half of my first sentence: "people often misuse pronouns, especially when youspeak." Who is "you" referring to here: "people." However, the correct pronoun for the third person plural is "they." The correct version of the sentence is "people often misuse pronouns, especially when they speak." On the ACT English section, you'll be expected to spot these kind of errors in a variety of different contexts. I'll go overboth the basic rules forpronounsand the common mistakes you'll see on the test, so that you can approach the test with confidence. This post covers the following topics: Pronouns and Antecedents Disagreement in Number Disagreement in Person Unclear Antecedents Spotting Pronoun Agreement Errors on theACT Feature image credit:Chiltepinster (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons A Pronoun Must Always Match Its Antecedent That titlemight seem confusing. What's an antecedent? And what does it mean to "match"? You can probably spot when a pronoun doesn't seem quite right, but let's break down why. What's a Pronoun? A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun- that's it! Usually we think of pronouns as words like I, him, they, or its, all of which are definitely pronouns. But so are words like everyone, which, and each. Any word that replacesa noun is a pronoun. For more detailed information on pronouns, take a look at our guide to parts of speech. What's an Antecedent? An antecedent is the noun a pronoun replaces. (You may also have heard these called referents.) Let's look at an example- the pronoun is in boldand the antecedent is underlined: Anton wanted his own piece of cake. Simple enough, right? "His" is standing in for "Anton's." Let's try a more complicated one: Even though he knew Jenny lovessweets, Anton ate boththeirpieces of cake and didn't apologize to her. There's a lot more going onin this sentence, so I've color coded the pronouns and their nouns. "Their" is purple because it's standing in for "Anton's and Jenny's." No matter how many different pronouns there are in a sentence, each one must have a clear antecedent. What Does It Mean for a Pronoun and Antecedent to Match? Again, though this concept may sound confusing, it's actually pretty intuitive. Let's revisit our example from above, with a slight tweak: Anton wanted theirown piece of cake. This sentence clearly isn't correct. That's because the pronoun "their" and the antecedent "Anton" don't agree.Antonis singular and their is plural, so the words disagree in number. It's also possiblefor a pronoun and antecedent to disagree in person: Anton wanted myown piece of cake. Antonis a proper noun and should take a 3rd person pronoun, not a 1st person pronoun like "my." As a review, the most common pronounsand their correct uses are listed below: I/me/my - first person singular, i.e. the person speaking We/us/ours - first person plural, i.e. the person speaking and others You/your - second person (singular and plural), i.e. the person (or people) being spoken to He/him/his - third person masculine, i.e. a male person or animal who isn't present She/her - third person feminine, i.e. a femaleperson or animal who isn't present It/its - third person neuter, i.e. inanimate objects They/them/their - third person plural, i.e. multiple people or things The key idea here is that pronouns must alwayshave a clear antecedent and agree with the noun that they replace. Now that we've established what that means, let's look at how these errors appear on the ACT English. Anton was a jerk foreating both pieces of cake. (Â ©jshj) Pronoun Disagreement in Number I mentioned above that plural nouns require plural pronouns and singular nouns requiresingular pronouns. Usually, that rule feels pretty obvious: it doesn't make much sense to refer to Jimas "them" or the Avengersas "it." However, we're talking about theACT, so the errors are going to be a little harder to spot. Let's go over some of the trickiest cases and how you can catch them. Distance Between Pronoun and Antecedent In a simple sentence, it's easy to spot number agreement errors: Incorrect: Clarais very protective of theirnovels. Correct:Clarais very protective of hernovels. But in the context of a more complex sentence, or an entire paragraph, these errors get much harder to spot: When Clara ran out of fantasy novels to read, she went to the library to replenish her supply. Unfortunately, they were completely out of them. At first glance, this may seem fine, but it gets a little wonky towards the end there. Let's take it apart and match each pronoun withits antecedent: she=Clara her=Clara's they = the library them = the novels Do you see the problem? The library is singular and can't be referred to as "they." As such, the sentence should read: When Clara ran out of fantasy novels to read, she went to the library to replenish her supply. Unfortunately, itwas completely out of them. When you're dealing with pronouns on the ACT, the first step is always to determinewhat itsantecedent is. This will make it much easier to figure out the correct pronoun to use. The Case of the Non-Gendered Singular Pronoun Even once you determine a pronoun'santecedent, there's still room for confusion- especially when it comes tosingular non-gendered nouns. Let's look at an example of this: Please have your child bring their crayons to school with them. Sounds fine, right? But take acloser look. "Their" is taking the place of "your child's" in this sentence, but "their" is a plural pronounand"your friend" is only one person. Using "their" seems right because we the childcould be a girl or boy and there is no singular non-gendered pronoun for people in English. However, you can't use 3rd person plural pronouns (they, their, theirs, or them) to refer to singular people of unclear gender. Instead, you need to use singular pronouns, as in the versionbelow: Please have your child bring his or hercrayons to school with him or her. Although "he," "she," and "he or she" are all equally correct, on the ACT you will always see "he or she"/"him or her"/"his or her" used to refer to non-gendered singular people. ACT English Practice Example Let's work through an official ACT question, so you can see how these concepts work in context. Let's start by finding the antecedent. So what's covered? "Most kayaks," which is plural, so we immediately know A can't be correct. The next step iseliminating distractors. Pronoun questions on the ACT can be tricky because the test writers tend to include answer choices that seem reasonable but couldn't possible work, confusing what the question is actually about. Here those choices are B and D: when used as a pronoun "one" refers to a person and "which" should come after a comma, not a period (it creates a dependent clause). This leaves onlyC, "They are," which is the rightanswer since "they" is the correct pronoun to stand in for "kayaks." Use "he or she" to replace nouns like "guitarist" that aren't gender specific. Pronoun Disagreement in Person Pronoun agreement in person is a slightly weirder concept than agreement in number, but it's usually pretty easy to spot. The basic concept is that a pronoun must reflect the typeof thing it's replacing.This factmeansthat you must use "it" to replace "the sour candy" but"she" to replace "Jennifer Lawrence." Aswith agreement in number, the first stepis always to makesure that you know what a pronoun's antecedent is and that the pronoun and antecedent agree. Beyond that basic principle, avoiding issues with agreement in person is mostly a question of consistency- if you start a sentence in the first person, you shouldn't suddenly switch to the third person without a clear reason. I was halfway home when I realized that he'd forgotten his science project. This series of events might be possible, but it doesn't make much sense. Another incorrect sentence: The plant grew so large that she no longer fit in the pot. "She" is clearly standing in for "the plant," but you can't use "she" to refer to an inanimate object. The correct pronoun would be "it." On the ACT, pronoun errors with agreement in person are usuallyrelated to consistency- if a passage is in the third person you can't inexplicably introduce the first person halfway through and vice versa. The most common such issue is with "one" and "you."Both are equally correct to refer to a non-specific individual- "you" is simplyless formal than "one"- buta passage should stick to one or the other. (Like this article does!) Let's look at how this conceptworks in a sentence: Incorrect: If one wants to be a professional sushi chef, you must train for many years to master the art of slicing the fish. Correct:If one wants to be a professional sushi chef, onemust train for many years to master the art of slicing the fish. Correct:If youwant to be a professional sushi chef, you must train for many years to master the art of slicing the fish. The incorrect sentence uses two different pronouns, while the corrected versions stick to one or the other. One of the most common mistakes students make on the ACT English is assuming that the more formal choice, in this case "one," is necessarily better. However, it's far more important to be consistent with the passage as written and to make sure pronouns match their antecedents. Let's go through an example question that deals with agreement in person: First, we find the antecedent. Who or what is hearing the songs? Elsewhere in the paragraph, it's "I." Our primary goal with agreement in person is to remain consistent, so it should be the same here- F is the correct choice. G and H might be tempting, but you shouldn't pick an answer that introduces a new pronoun without a clear antecedent.J can't be correct because it creates a sentence fragment. A disagreement between people, not a disagreement in person. (Â ©o5com) Unclear Antecedents We've covered the basic rules for ensuring that pronouns agree with their antecedents, but what do you do when a pronoun doesn'thaveanantecedent? It's important to remember that a pronoun's antecedent must be a noun and you must be able to circle it in the text. In other words, it's not enough for you to know what the pronoun is referring to, the antecedent alsohas to be obvious in the text. On the ACT English, pronouns without clear antecedents appear fairly frequently. You'll need to pick the answer that makes explicit what the pronoun is meant to refer to. Let's look at an example: In order to get the concert ticketsfrom the box office, I need to know whenthey'llbe there. Who does"they" refer to? Presumably, the people who work in the boxoffice, but the noun "employees" doesn't appear, so there's no clear antecedent. A correct version might read: In order to get the concert ticketsfrom the box office, I need to know whenthe employees willbe there. Now it's clear who I'm talking about. The pronouns this, that, these, and those, often appear in questions like this and can be especially confusing, since in casual English we often use the themwithout clear antecedents: Mario: Bowser kidnapped Peach again. Luigi: That's annoying. This construction may be fine in spoken English, but it would beabsolutely incorrect on the ACT. Thought it's clear what Luigi is reacting to, there's no actual noun in the text that is serving as an antecedent for that. This, that, and these and thosemust have clear noun antecedents, just like any other pronoun. However, it's fine for the noun to come immediately after the pronoun. A correct version of the above would be: Mario: Bowser kidnapped Peach again. Luigi: That moveis so annoying. Now its explicit what's annoying: Bowser's move of kidnapping Peach. If this, these or those are underlined, then the question is likely about this type of error. (That being underlined can mean there's an antecedent issue as well, but it's more commonly a relative pronoun question- for more on that type of error, see our post on the topic, coming soon.) Let's look at an official ACT example: As with any pronoun question, the first step here is to determine the antecedent. Since an antecedent must be a noun thatappears in the text, our options are "Banneker," "his studies," and "the paths of the Sun, Moon, and other celestial bodies." However, none of these nouns are things that can be used to predict a solar eclipse- the sentence is trying to say that he used his calculations of the paths to make the prediction. The only answer that makes that fact clear is G. Applying the Pronoun Agreement Grammar Rules on the ACT We've covered the basic rules for pronoun agreement and the types of errorsyou're likely to see on the ACT English. I've rounded up a summary of those rules and the key strategies you should practice for the test. What to watchfor: Underlined pronouns and pronoun/verb combos This, these, those underlined Rules to keep in mind: Every pronoun must have a clear noun antecedent. Pronouns and their antecedents have to match in number, gender, and person. For this, those, that, and these, the antecedent can come immediately after the pronoun. Helpful ACT English tips: Anytime a pronoun is underlined, the first step is to determine the antecedent- be sure to check the surroundingsentences as well. "He or she" is the correct pronoun for non-gendered singularnouns. Pronoun person generally stays consistent throughout a passage. Replace antecedent-less pronouns with nouns. Test Your Skills with ACT English Practice Questions! You can study the rules all you want, but doing sowon't help you on the ACT unless you practice using them ito answer ACT-style questions. I've created some ACT English practice so that you can try out your new skills! 1. Lana didn't enjoy spying on Tim, but he had the information they needed. A. NO CHANGE B. he C. the people D. she 2. You may not want to go looking for the cookbook, but to ensure there are pancakes at breakfast, one must find the recipe. F. NO CHANGE G.you must H. they must J.must 3.One of the books was full of fairy tales, but Jenna couldn't find them on the shelf. A. NO CHANGE B.those C. it D.her own 2. Troy walked all the way down the mountain. After that, he was too tired to stay awake through the movie. F. NO CHANGE G.After this, H. After walking so far, J. So that Answers: 1. D, 2. G, 3. C, 4. H What's Next? If you're struggling with pronoun questions, make sure you also understand pronoun case errors. You may also want to check outsome of our other ACT grammar guides on frequentlytestedtopics like subject-verb agreementand comma usage. For more big-picture strategies, take a look at our posts on the best way to read the ACT English passage and the 5 key concepts you need to ace the ACT English. Looking to build a study plan? Read our complete plan to studying for the ACT, review what the ACT English actually covers, and take a practice test (or five!). Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this English lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Why Long-Distance Relationships Are Hard

Why Long-Distance Relationships Are Hard Its no secret: long-distance relationships, especially in college, are incredibly difficult. After all, just being in college is hard enough, so adding a long-distance relationship to the mix is inevitably going to add some stress and difficulty. Whether youre deciding whether you want to give your relationship a shot across the distance or whether youre just trying to prepare for whats to come, it can be a great help to be aware in advance of the challenges inherent in any college long-distance relationship. It Can Be a Challenge to Share the Little Things Sometimes, its being able to share the little things with someone that matter the most. Grabbing a cup of coffee, pointing out how ridiculous your physics professor is, or sharing a giggle over something funny in the quad are all things that can be hard, if not impossible, with a long-distance partner. Not having the shared experience of a million little things can be both sad and frustrating, especially as time goes on and all of those little, unshared experiences start to add up. It Can Be a Challenge to Share the Big Things You landed an amazing on-campus job; you just totally rocked your campaign speech for student government during a dead hour in the quad; you finally got selected to write a weekly editorial for the campus newspaper. While these may all be a huge deal in your college life, they can be hard to explain to someone who is far away and not completely familiar with the context theyre happening in. Sure, a partner can be excited for you, but its never quite the same as being there with you to applaud your efforts and see your victories in person. And that can be hard sometimes. Trust Issues Can Be Difficult You both are far away and living your own lives ... which hopefully means meeting new, interesting people. You might be a little jealous about your partners freedom and frequent interactions with potential love interests; your partner might be a little insecure about how much time youre spending with people he or she sees as a threat to your relationship. While any relationship has to be based on trust, trust in a long-distance relationship can sometimes be harder to establish. Your brain may even be able to logically explain why you should totally trust your partner, and yet your heart just cant seem to get on board. So even if you know youre being a little silly, trust issues can still creep in and pose a major challenge for one or both partners in a college long-distance relationship. Holidays and Special Events Can Feel Lonely While major goals for college should be, of course, academic in nature, there are major moments that happen along the way that is made all the more meaningful because of the people you share them with. And when your partner isnt there, things can get pretty challenging. Whether its a major athletic victory, a large co-curricular event youre organizing, a religious holiday, Valentines Day, or even something that happens unexpectedly, being alone when you want to share a special moment with your significant other can turn even the best of moments into one thats also bittersweet. Distance Can Grow Without Either Person Realizing It Even if both partners in a college long-distance relationship have the best of intentions, things sometimes just dont work out. All your Skype dates, messaging, and attempts to stay close somehow just fall short. The challenging part of this situation can, unfortunately, be that it happens without anyone really realizing it or, even worse, with one partner realizing it well before the other. They Will Never Fully Understand Your College Life Even if your partner lived on the same floor in your residence hall as you do, you still wouldnt be fully able to explain all of the details of your life to them. So when you add distance to the situation, things can quickly become incredibly, if not overwhelmingly, challenging. Even the best communicators can find it difficult to accurately and adequately explain all the exciting things about their time in school. And a partner can quickly become frustrated at their inability to fully understand whats going on in their significant others daily life. So while it may not necessarily be anyones fault, it can be frustrating when neither partner fully understands the others life. You Just Miss Them It goes without saying, of course, that the biggest challenge of a college long-distance relationship is the fact that you just miss someone you care very deeply about. You can try your hardest to stay close and make the relationship work. And even if you do last during your time apart, youll undoubtedly miss your partner terribly during the journey.