John's+Page

A pronoun is a word used to stand for (or take the place of) a noun. An antecedent is a word for which a pronoun stands. ** //1. Every passenger was required to show __his or her__ ticket.// The antecedent of the pronoun is //passenger// (singular). The singular verb //__was__ required// makes this fact quite clear. A passenger may be male or female; therefore, we are obligated to use "his or her." **  **//2. Neither of the boys has done __his__ homework.// This is a little tricky because we are tempted to think that the pronoun refers to the plural //boys//. However, the sense is that neither (one) of the boys has done his homework, and the pronoun refers to //neither (one)//, which is singular. Therefore, we use the singular pronoun //his//. **  ** //3. A person who is terminally ill has the right to have __his or her__ wishes regarding life-support respected.// The pronoun refers to the singular antecedent //a person// (who may be masculine or feminine); therefore, the pronoun must be //his or her//. ** ** //4. Nowadays, when a student graduates from college, __he or she__ has a better chance of getting a good job than a person with only a high school diploma does.// The antecedent of the pronoun is //student// (singular, male or female); thus, the correct pronoun is //he or she//. ** ** //5. Neither India nor Pakistan is willing to abandon __its__ nuclear weapons program.// The pronoun refers to each of the two countries separately (neither one nor the other). The pronoun must therefore be the singular //its//. (Once more, //it's// does not mean "belonging to it"; //it's// means "it is.") ** **//6. Any student who wish//****//es to be excused should raise __his or her__// hand. Do not say or write "their hands" when the antecedent is singular (//student//). **
 * EXAMPLES **

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[|Pronouns and Antecedents]