Pronoun antecedent agreement is an important grammatical concept that every writer should understand and implement in their writing. This agreement is necessary to ensure clarity and precision in the text. Pronoun antecedent agreement means that the pronoun used in a sentence agrees in number, gender, and person with the antecedent to which it refers. For example, if the antecedent is singular, the pronoun referring to it should be singular as well. Similarly, if the antecedent is masculine, the pronoun referring to it should also be masculine.
To help writers practice this skill, many educators and English tutors use pronoun antecedent agreement worksheets with answer keys. These worksheets allow learners to gauge their knowledge and understanding of the concept.
A pronoun antecedent agreement worksheet answer key provides a guide to learners on how to identify and correct errors in the agreement of pronouns and antecedents in a given sentence. The answer key lists the correct answers and explanations for each question and provides learners with an opportunity to understand why an answer is correct or incorrect.
Let us consider an example of a pronoun antecedent agreement worksheet with answer key:
Directions: Choose the correct pronoun that agrees with the antecedent in each sentence.
1. The dog wagged ____ tail happily when his owner arrived.
a) its
b) their
c) his
d) hers
Answer: c) his
Explanation: The antecedent in this sentence is ‘dog,’ which is singular and masculine. Therefore, we should use a singular masculine pronoun ‘his’ to agree with the antecedent.
2. Both the students submitted ____ homework on time.
a) their
b) its
c) his
d) hers
Answer: a) their
Explanation: The antecedent in this sentence is ‘students’ which is plural and does not specify a gender. Therefore, we should use the plural pronoun ‘their’ to agree with the antecedent.
3. The flower ____ is blooming in the garden is my favourite.
a) it
b) them
c) that
d) those
Answer: c) that
Explanation: The antecedent in this sentence is ‘flower’ which is singular. The pronoun ‘that’ identifies and agrees with the singular antecedent.
In conclusion, using a pronoun antecedent agreement worksheet with answer key is an excellent way to practice and improve one`s writing skills. It enables writers to identify common errors and learn how to correct them, thereby ensuring that their writing is clear and concise. Remember, mastering this grammatical concept is essential for improving the quality of your writing.