AboutRosemary Lenc Expertise I am a retired Middle School teacher. I am an expert in grammar (structure of the English
language) and writing. I have been a volunteer with AOL Ask A Teacher and have
submitted many articles and special collections (one on diagramming sentences and one
with worksheets and answers so students can check their own practice on grammar skills)
to their knowledge database. I still am with them but would like other work where I can
help students with their English study. I have time to help you with this, if you want me. I
can help with grade school, middle school and high school grammar & writing and can
also look up information on literature (reading) for students and help them with it.
Please let me know if I can be of help in these areas. Thank you.
Rosemary Lenc
Experience
Past/Present clients Have helped many, many students in grade school language arts, middle school and high
school grammar and writing in both the chat rooms (live help that AOL use to have) and
message board answers plus the many students i have taught as a teacher.
Question In the following pairs, one sentence is correct, and the other sentence has a pronoun antecedent agreement error. Write the letter of the CORRECT sentence. I am confused.
a. If job hunters want to make a good impression at an interview, he should be sure to arrive on time.
b. If job hunters want to make a good impression at an interview, they should be sure to arrive on time.
Answer Dear Abriel,
Remember that a pronoun antecedent has to agree in number and gender. Look at sentence a.
If job hunters want to make a good impression at an interview, he should be sure to arrive in time.
Look at the subject in the first part of the sentence. It is hunters, right. It is plural, right.
Now look at the pronoun that refers back to hunters in the second part of the sentence. It is "he".
Is "he" plural? No, it is singular.
So look at sentence b.
If job hunters want to make a good impression at an interview, they should be sure to arrive on time.
Again, hunters is the subject in the first part of the sentence. In the second part, "they" is the pronoun that refers to hunters. Is "they" plural like hunters? Yes...therefore, b. is the correct answer.
Always look at the pronoun used in the sentence. To what or to whom does that pronoun refer or take the place of what noun? Look to make sure the pronoun agrees in number (singular or plural) and in gender (feminine or masculine or neuter). That is what we mean by the pronoun agreeing in number and gender.
Hope this helps you.
Thanks for using AllExperts.
Mrs. Lenc
