Mastering Pronoun Agreement: A Complete Guide with 100 Examples for Exam Success

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Introduction

Pronoun agreement is a fundamental aspect of English grammar, ensuring that pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and person to create clear and accurate sentences. For students and candidates preparing for competitive exams like TOEFL, IELTS, GRE, or SAT, mastering pronoun agreement is essential for excelling in grammar sections, essays, and speaking tasks. Proper pronoun agreement enhances sentence clarity and demonstrates grammatical precision, key to scoring high in academic and professional settings. This comprehensive guide provides 100 examples of pronoun agreement with their meanings, along with practical tips to boost your performance in competitive exams.

Understanding Pronoun Agreement

Pronoun agreement refers to the grammatical rule that pronouns must align with their antecedents—the nouns they replace—in number (singular or plural), gender (male, female, or neutral), and person (first, second, or third). For example, “The student lost his book” shows agreement between “student” (singular, male) and “his” (singular, male). Errors in pronoun agreement, such as mismatched number or gender, can confuse readers and are commonly tested in competitive exams.

Key Rules for Pronoun Agreement

1. Number Agreement: Singular antecedents require singular pronouns (e.g., “The dog wagged its tail”), and plural antecedents require plural pronouns (e.g., “The dogs wagged their tails”).
2. Gender Agreement: Use pronouns that match the antecedent’s gender (e.g., “She” for a female, “he” for a male, “it” for non-human).
3. Person Agreement: Ensure the pronoun matches the antecedent’s person (e.g., first person: “I” for “I,” third person: “he” for “John”).
4. Clear Antecedent: The pronoun must clearly refer to a specific noun to avoid ambiguity (e.g., avoid “They said he was late” if unclear who “they” or “he” refers to).
5. Indefinite Pronouns: Singular indefinite pronouns (e.g., “everyone,” “each”) take singular pronouns, while plural ones (e.g., “many”) take plural pronouns.

Tips for Students and Exam Candidates

• Enhance Writing: Use correct pronoun agreement in essays to create clear, professional sentences, boosting scores in exams like IELTS or GRE.
• Identify Errors: Practice spotting pronoun agreement errors in reading comprehension passages, a key skill for TOEFL or SAT grammar sections.
• Singular Indefinite Pronouns: Memorize that pronouns like “everyone,” “nobody,” and “each” take singular pronouns (e.g., “Everyone has their book” is incorrect; use “his or her”).
• Practice Gender Neutrality: Use gender-neutral pronouns (e.g., “they” for singular indefinite pronouns in informal contexts) to align with modern usage, especially in speaking tasks.
• Mock Tests: Simulate exam conditions with practice tests to apply pronoun agreement in writing and speaking, ensuring accuracy under pressure.

100 Examples of Pronoun Agreement with Meanings

Below are 100 examples of pronoun agreement, categorized by pronoun type (personal, possessive, reflexive, indefinite, etc.) and context, with their meanings. Examples illustrate correct agreement in number, gender, and person.

Personal Pronouns (Subject/Object) – 30 Examples

1. He: Matches a singular male antecedent. E.g., John lost his book.
   Meaning: “He” (John) agrees with the singular male antecedent “John.”
2. She: Matches a singular female antecedent. E.g., Mary finished her homework.
   Meaning: “She” (Mary) agrees with the singular female antecedent “Mary.”
3. It: Matches a singular non-human antecedent. E.g., The dog wagged its tail.
   Meaning: “It” agrees with the singular non-human “dog.”
4. They: Matches a plural antecedent. E.g., The students submitted their essays.
   Meaning: “They” agrees with the plural “students.”
5. We: Matches a plural first-person antecedent. E.g., My friends and I planned our trip.
   Meaning: “We” agrees with the plural first-person group.
6. You: Matches a second-person antecedent. E.g., You forgot your keys.
   Meaning: “You” agrees with the second-person listener.
7. Him: Matches a singular male object. E.g., I saw John and gave him a book.
   Meaning: “Him” agrees with the singular male “John.”
8. Her: Matches a singular female object. E.g., I called Mary and invited her.
   Meaning: “Her” agrees with the singular female “Mary.”
9. Them: Matches a plural object. E.g., I met the team and congratulated them.
   Meaning: “Them” agrees with the plural “team.”
10. Us: Matches a plural first-person object. E.g., The teacher helped my group and us.
    Meaning: “Us” agrees with the plural first-person group.
11. He: In a workplace. E.g., The manager submitted his report.
    Meaning: “He” agrees with the singular male “manager.”
12. She: In a classroom. E.g., The student raised her hand.
    Meaning: “She” agrees with the singular female “student.”
13. It: Refers to a machine. E.g., The computer crashed, so I restarted it.
    Meaning: “It” agrees with the singular non-human “computer.”
14. They: In a social context. E.g., The guests brought their gifts.
    Meaning: “They” agrees with the plural “guests.”
15. We: In a team context. E.g., My colleagues and I finished our project.
    Meaning: “We” agrees with the plural first-person group.
16. You: In a formal context. E.g., You must submit your application.
    Meaning: “You” agrees with the second-person listener.
17. Him: In a narrative. E.g., I saw Tom and helped him.
    Meaning: “Him” agrees with the singular male “Tom.”
18. Her: In a social event. E.g., I met Jane and hugged her.
    Meaning: “Her” agrees with the singular female “Jane.”
19. Them: In a classroom. E.g., I taught the students and tested them.
    Meaning: “Them” agrees with the plural “students.”
20. Us: In a family context. E.g., My parents visited my siblings and us.
    Meaning: “Us” agrees with the plural first-person group.
21. He: In a story. E.g., The hero fought and won his battle.
    Meaning: “He” agrees with the singular male “hero.”
22. She: In a workplace. E.g., The CEO presented her plan.
    Meaning: “She” agrees with the singular female “CEO.”
23. It: Refers to a book. E.g., The novel was good, so I read it again.
    Meaning: “It” agrees with the singular non-human “novel.”
24. They: In a team setting. E.g., The players trained and improved their skills.
    Meaning: “They” agrees with the plural “players.”
25. We: In a classroom. E.g., My classmates and I studied our notes.
    Meaning: “We” agrees with the plural first-person group.
26. You: In a casual context. E.g., You left your phone here.
    Meaning: “You” agrees with the second-person listener.
27. Him: In a formal setting. E.g., I contacted the director and informed him.
    Meaning: “Him” agrees with the singular male “director.”
28. Her: In a narrative. E.g., I saw the actress and admired her.
    Meaning: “Her” agrees with the singular female “actress.”
29. Them: In a workplace. E.g., I trained the employees and evaluated them.
    Meaning: “Them” agrees with the plural “employees.”
30. Us: In a social context. E.g., The host invited my friends and us.
    Meaning: “Us” agrees with the plural first-person group.

Possessive Pronouns – 20 Examples

31. His: Matches a singular male antecedent. E.g., John lost his keys.
    Meaning: “His” agrees with the singular male “John.”
32. Her: Matches a singular female antecedent. E.g., Mary found her book.
    Meaning: “Her” agrees with the singular female “Mary.”
33. Its: Matches a singular non-human antecedent. E.g., The cat licked its paws.
    Meaning: “Its” agrees with the singular non-human “cat.”
34. Their: Matches a plural antecedent. E.g., The students submitted their assignments.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “students.”
35. Our: Matches a plural first-person antecedent. E.g., My team and I presented our project.
    Meaning: “Our” agrees with the plural first-person group.
36. Your: Matches a second-person antecedent. E.g., You forgot your bag.
    Meaning: “Your” agrees with the second-person listener.
37. Mine: Matches a singular first-person antecedent. E.g., The book is mine.
    Meaning: “Mine” agrees with the singular first-person speaker.
38. Hers: Matches a singular female antecedent. E.g., The bag is hers.
    Meaning: “Hers” agrees with a singular female (e.g., Mary).
39. Theirs: Matches a plural antecedent. E.g., The car is theirs.
    Meaning: “Theirs” agrees with a plural group (e.g., students).
40. Ours: Matches a plural first-person antecedent. E.g., The house is ours.
    Meaning: “Ours” agrees with the plural first-person group.
41. His: In a classroom. E.g., The boy lost his pencil.
    Meaning: “His” agrees with the singular male “boy.”
42. Her: In a workplace. E.g., The manager submitted her proposal.
    Meaning: “Her” agrees with the singular female “manager.”
43. Its: Refers to a machine. E.g., The robot fixed its arm.
    Meaning: “Its” agrees with the singular non-human “robot.”
44. Their: In a social context. E.g., The guests brought their food.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “guests.”
45. Our: In a team setting. E.g., My friends and I shared our ideas.
    Meaning: “Our” agrees with the plural first-person group.
46. Your: In a formal context. E.g., You must bring your ID.
    Meaning: “Your” agrees with the second-person listener.
47. Mine: In a narrative. E.g., The victory was mine.
    Meaning: “Mine” agrees with the singular first-person speaker.
48. Hers: In a social event. E.g., The gift is hers.
    Meaning: “Hers” agrees with a singular female (e.g., Jane).
49. Theirs: In a classroom. E.g., The project is theirs.
    Meaning: “Theirs” agrees with a plural group (e.g., students).
50. Ours: In a family context. E.g., The farm is ours.
    Meaning: “Ours” agrees with the plural first-person group.

Reflexive Pronouns – 15 Examples

51. Himself: Matches a singular male antecedent. E.g., John taught himself to code.
    Meaning: “Himself” agrees with the singular male “John.”
52. Herself: Matches a singular female antecedent. E.g., Mary prepared herself for the exam.
    Meaning: “Herself” agrees with the singular female “Mary.”
53. Itself: Matches a singular non-human antecedent. E.g., The machine repaired itself.
    Meaning: “Itself” agrees with the singular non-human “machine.”
54. Themselves: Matches a plural antecedent. E.g., The students taught themselves.
    Meaning: “Themselves” agrees with the plural “students.”
55. Ourselves: Matches a plural first-person antecedent. E.g., My team and I challenged ourselves.
    Meaning: “Ourselves” agrees with the plural first-person group.
56. Yourself: Matches a singular second-person antecedent. E.g., You should reward yourself.
    Meaning: “Yourself” agrees with the singular second-person listener.
57. Yourselves: Matches a plural second-person antecedent. E.g., You all prepared yourselves well.
    Meaning: “Yourselves” agrees with the plural second-person group.
58. Himself: In a workplace. E.g., The manager trained himself.
    Meaning: “Himself” agrees with the singular male “manager.”
59. Herself: In a classroom. E.g., The student pushed herself to succeed.
    Meaning: “Herself” agrees with the singular female “student.”
60. Itself: Refers to an animal. E.g., The cat cleaned itself.
    Meaning: “Itself” agrees with the singular non-human “cat.”
61. Themselves: In a team setting. E.g., The players motivated themselves.
    Meaning: “Themselves” agrees with the plural “players.”
62. Ourselves: In a social context. E.g., My friends and I treated ourselves.
    Meaning: “Ourselves” agrees with the plural first-person group.
63. Yourself: In a casual context. E.g., You bought yourself a gift.
    Meaning: “Yourself” agrees with the singular second-person listener.
64. Yourselves: In a formal context. E.g., You all must prepare yourselves.
    Meaning: “Yourselves” agrees with the plural second-person group.
65. Himself: In a narrative. E.g., The hero challenged himself.
    Meaning: “Himself” agrees with the singular male “hero.”

Indefinite Pronouns – 25 Examples

66. Everyone: Singular indefinite pronoun. E.g., Everyone brought his or her book.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “everyone.”
67. Nobody: Singular indefinite pronoun. E.g., Nobody forgot his or her lines.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “nobody.”
68. Each: Singular indefinite pronoun. E.g., Each student has his or her ID.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “each.”
69. Someone: Singular indefinite pronoun. E.g., Someone left his or her bag.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “someone.”
70. Anybody: Singular indefinite pronoun. E.g., Anybody can bring his or her notes.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “anybody.”
71. Many: Plural indefinite pronoun. E.g., Many brought their cameras.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “many.”
72. Few: Plural indefinite pronoun. E.g., Few submitted their assignments late.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “few.”
73. All: Singular or plural indefinite pronoun. E.g., All of the team shared their ideas.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “all.”
74. Some: Singular or plural indefinite pronoun. E.g., Some students lost their books.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “some.”
75. None: Singular or plural indefinite pronoun. E.g., None of the group forgot their lines.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “none.”
76. Everyone: In a classroom. E.g., Everyone completed his or her homework.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “everyone.”
77. Nobody: In a workplace. E.g., Nobody missed his or her deadline.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “nobody.”
78. Each: In a social context. E.g., Each guest brought his or her gift.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “each.”
79. Someone: In a narrative. E.g., Someone dropped his or her wallet.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “someone.”
80. Anybody: In a question. E.g., Did anybody lose his or her keys?
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “anybody.”
81. Many: In a classroom. E.g., Many students shared their notes.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “many.”
82. Few: In a workplace. E.g., Few employees forgot their tasks.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “few.”
83. All: In a social event. E.g., All guests enjoyed their time.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “all.”
84. Some: In a narrative. E.g., Some explorers lost their map.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “some.”
85. None: In a formal context. E.g., None of the candidates lost their focus.
    Meaning: “Their” agrees with the plural “none.”
86. Everyone: In a meeting. E.g., Everyone presented his or her ideas.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “everyone.”
87. Nobody: In a social context. E.g., Nobody forgot his or her invitation.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “nobody.”
88. Each: In a team setting. E.g., Each player used his or her skills.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “each.”
89. Someone: In a workplace. E.g., Someone left his or her laptop.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “someone.”
90. Anybody: In a classroom. E.g., Anybody can share his or her opinion.
    Meaning: “His or her” agrees with the singular “anybody.”

Relative Pronouns – 10 Examples

91. Who: Matches a singular person antecedent. E.g., The student who studied passed his exam.
    Meaning: “Who” and “his” agree with the singular male “student.”
92. Whom: Matches a singular person object. E.g., The student whom I taught passed her exam.
    Meaning: “Whom” and “her” agree with the singular female “student.”
93. Whose: Matches a singular possessive antecedent. E.g., The student whose book I borrowed returned it.
    Meaning: “Whose” and “it” agree with the singular “student” and “book.”
94. Which: Matches a singular non-human antecedent. E.g., The book which I read lost its cover.
    Meaning: “Which” and “its” agree with the singular non-human “book.”
95. That: Matches a plural antecedent. E.g., The students that studied submitted their work.
    Meaning: “That” and “their” agree with the plural “students.”
96. Who: In a workplace. E.g., The manager who spoke presented his plan.
    Meaning: “Who” and “his” agree with the singular male “manager.”
97. Whom: In a narrative. E.g., The friend whom I helped thanked me.
    Meaning: “Whom” agrees with the singular “friend.”
98. Whose: In a classroom. E.g., The student whose project won received her award.
    Meaning: “Whose” and “her” agree with the singular female “student.”
99. Which: In a formal context. E.g., The policy which we adopted improved its outcomes.
    Meaning: “Which” and “its” agree with the singular non-human “policy.”
100. That: In a social context. E.g., The guests that arrived brought their gifts.
     Meaning: “That” and “their” agree with the plural “guests.”

Additional Tips for Competitive Exam Candidates

• Correct Indefinite Pronoun Agreement: Practice using singular pronouns (e.g., “his or her”) with singular indefinite pronouns like “everyone” to avoid common errors in formal writing.
• Ambiguity Avoidance: Ensure pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents to prevent confusion, especially in complex sentences tested in GRE or SAT.
• Gender-Neutral Pronouns: Use “they” as a singular pronoun for indefinite antecedents in informal contexts (e.g., “Someone left their bag”) to align with modern usage in IELTS speaking.
• Complex Sentences: Combine pronoun agreement with relative clauses in essays to demonstrate advanced grammar, boosting scores in exams like TOEFL.
• Error Correction Practice: Use grammar exercises to identify and fix pronoun agreement errors, a common question type in competitive exams.

Conclusion

Pronoun agreement is essential for creating clear, grammatically correct sentences, ensuring pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. For students and competitive exam candidates, mastering pronoun agreement enhances writing and speaking clarity, boosting performance in exams like TOEFL, IELTS, and GRE. The 100 examples provided, along with practical tips, offer a robust foundation for applying pronoun agreement effectively. Practice regularly, focus on number and gender agreement, and leverage pronoun agreement to excel in academic and professional communication.

Also Read: Mastering Relative Pronouns: A Complete Guide with 100 Examples for Exam Success

Unlocking Indefinite Pronouns: A Complete Guide with 100 Examples for Exam Success

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