The Super-Mega-Pronoun-Agreement Lesson of Awesomeness

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Nobody knows that eating chocolate-broccoli muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamin C.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

Can you spot the pronouns?

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

Here is a hint.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals. Ok, that was more than a hint. Both of these are pronouns: (nobody=indefinite, their=possessive).

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

Now. We must decide whether the pronouns agree.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

What do you think?

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

If you said “no,” then you are absolutely correct.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

Nobody means “not one person” and is a singular pronoun.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

Their is a possessive pronoun associated with a plural antecedent.

Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide their bodies with vitamins and minerals.

The correct way (even though it sounds weird): Nobody knows that eating dirt muffins is a good way to provide his or her body with vitamins and minerals.

Let’s try another.

The catering committee received compliments for their squid-eye stew.

Any pronouns?

The catering committee received compliments for their squid-eye stew.

You’re right. The possessive pronoun “their” makes another appearance.

The catering committee received compliments for their squid-eye stew.

But, does it work here?

The catering committee received compliments for their squid-eye stew.

Right again! The possessive pronoun “their” is only for a plural antecedent. The catering committee is a singular noun.

The catering committee received compliments for their squid-eye stew.

The sentence should read: The catering committee received compliments for its squid-eye stew.

One last example.

The cricket and the frog outside the boy’s window chirped so loud they kept him awake all night.

Let’s cut to the chase. The pronoun here is “they.”

The cricket and the frog outside the boy’s window chirped so loud they kept him awake all night.

Does it work? What is the antecedent?

The cricket and the frog outside the boy’s window chirped so loud they kept him awake all night.

Yup. It’s “the cricket and the frog,” which, together make a compound subject (by default plural). So, “they” is correct.

The end