When it comes to writing, pronoun agreement is a crucial aspect that you simply can`t afford to overlook. Incorrect pronoun agreement can not only make your writing appear confusing and disjointed, but it can also impact your credibility and undermine the professionalism of your work.
To illustrate this point, let`s take a look at the following paragraph:
«Each student must submit their homework on time. If they fail to do so, they will receive a lower grade. Teachers should remind their students of this deadline regularly, so that they are not caught off guard.»
Did you spot the problem? The pronouns in this paragraph are not in agreement. The first sentence uses the singular pronoun «each» but then switches to the plural pronoun «their» to refer to the same subject. This inconsistency can create confusion and detract from the clarity of the sentence.
To revise this paragraph for correct pronoun agreement, we need to ensure that all pronouns agree in number with their antecedents. One solution is to rewrite the paragraph as follows:
«Each student must submit his or her homework on time. If he or she fails to do so, he or she will receive a lower grade. Teachers should remind their students of this deadline regularly, so that students are not caught off guard.»
Here, we have used the singular pronouns «his or her» to agree with the singular subject «each student.» We have also used «he or she» to refer back to the subject. Finally, we have changed the final sentence to make the pronoun «their» agree with the plural subject «teachers.»
By revising this paragraph for correct pronoun agreement, we have improved its clarity and professionalism. As a copy editor, it`s important to always keep an eye out for incorrect pronoun agreement and make the necessary revisions to ensure that your writing is top-notch.
