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A pronoun is a word that replaces and refers to a noun.  It is used in exactly the same way as the noun it replaces.
            Bill gave the book to Chris.
            He gave the book to me.
There are four types of pronouns:  subject pronouns, possessive pronouns, object pronouns, and reflexive pronouns.

Noun-Pronoun Agreement

Pronouns must always agree with their antecedents.  These are the nouns or pronouns they refer to. 
            Yolanda and Gary both went to work, but she drove a car and he rode a bicycle.

In this example, she refers to Yolanda.  Gary is the antecedent of he.  Each pronoun has the same characteristics as its antecedent.
            Masculine subject (Gary) = Masculine pronoun (he)
            Feminine subject (Yolanda) = Feminine pronoun (she)

            Singular subject (car) = Singular pronoun (it)
            Plural subject (cars) = Plural subject (their)

Rules for singular and plural pronouns (watch out, there’s a lot of them!)

  When a pronoun replaces two or more nouns joined by and, use the plural form of the pronoun
Leon and Bob rode their motorcycles through town.

  When the pronoun replaces two nouns joined together by or, nor, either…or, neither…nor, or not only….but also, the pronoun agrees with the last noun in the series.
Not only the dogs but also the cat found its own food

  When the pronoun replaces a collective noun, use a singular pronoun if the noun is thought of as a single unit.  Use a plural pronoun if the noun is thought of as separate people or things.
The faculty is top-notch; its reputation is unmatched.
The staff are doing their paperwork now.

  Because they represent an individual and not a group, use the singular form of the pronoun with the following words:
person              neither              someone           somebody
each                 no one              anyone             anybody
either                everyone          nobody             everybody

Each of the teammates got their medal at the closing ceremonies.  (Incorrect—the plural pronoun their refers to each, which is singular.  Remember singular nouns must match with singular pronouns.)

Each of the teammates got her medal at the closing ceremonies.  (Correct!)

Got that????  Try these sentences:

1. Barbara and her children lost her their  lease.
2. No one should abuse their his  body that way.
3. Not only the residents but also the owner asked for his their  apartment to be painted.
4. The group holds its their  meetings at noon.
5. Not only the hot soup but also fresh bread sent its their  aroma down the stairs.
6. If neither of the men wants their his  dessert, I’ll eat both sundaes.
7. Someone parked their her  car in my parking place.
8. Certain members of the family are taking its their  time getting ready in the morning.
9. In my opinion, the movies and television have lost its their  appeal because of the violence in them.
10. The crowd showed its their  approval by clapping.
11. The circus clown and the ringmaster took his their  bows.
12. The table or the chairs need its their  position changed.
13. Each of the plans has their its  advantages.
14. Either the fudge or the chocolate brownies left its their  mark on my waistline.
15. The orchestra tunes up its their  instruments before each performance.
16. Nobody can cope with their her  own problems better than my sister.
17. Neither the employees nor the president wore his their  usual business attire on the day the company moved.

Click here for answers 1. their 2. his 3. his 4. its 5. its 6. his 7. her 8. their 9. its 10. its 11. their 12. their 13. its 14. their 15. its 16. her 17. his (back to top)