HESI A2 Grammar: Understanding Pronouns and Agreement
Pronouns make writing less repetitive by taking the place of nouns. For example: Maria completed Maria's assignment before Maria left the classroom. This can be written more naturally as: Maria completed her assignment before she left the classroom. However, pronouns need to agree with the nouns they replace and should clearly communicate who or what they refer to.
What Is a Pronoun?
A pronoun is a word that can take the place of a noun. Common pronouns include:
- I
- You
- He
- She
- It
- We
- They
- Him
- Her
- Them
- This
- That
- These
- Those
The noun a pronoun refers to is called its antecedent.
Pronoun Agreement
Pronouns should generally agree with their antecedents in number. For example: The student finished her assignment. The singular noun student is matched with the singular pronoun her. For plural nouns: The students finished their assignments. The plural noun students is matched with their.
Watch for Distracting Nouns
A sentence may contain several nouns, which can make it easy to choose the wrong antecedent. Consider: The instructor gave the student her notebook. Who does her refer to? The sentence could be unclear because both instructor and student could potentially be female. A clearer sentence might be: The instructor gave the student the student's notebook. Or: The instructor gave her student a notebook. The best revision depends on the intended meaning.
Avoid Ambiguous Pronouns
A pronoun is ambiguous when the reader cannot clearly determine what it refers to. For example: When Sarah spoke to Emily, she was nervous. Who was nervous—Sarah or Emily? The sentence should be rewritten if the intended meaning matters.
Pronouns and Subject/Object Use
Some pronouns are used as subjects:
- I
- He
- She
- We
- They
Others commonly function as objects:
- Me
- Him
- Her
- Us
- Them
For example: She helped him. “She” is the subject, while “him” is the object.
Practice Strategy
When reviewing a grammar question, underline the pronoun and ask: What noun does this pronoun replace? Then ask: Do they agree? Finally: Is the reference clear? This three-step approach can help you identify several common pronoun problems.
Final Thoughts
Pronoun questions become easier when you stop looking at the pronoun by itself. Find the noun it refers to, check agreement, and make sure the meaning is clear. Regular practice with short sentences can help you recognize these errors quickly.
