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Pronoun Antecedent-Agreement with Collective Nouns

Collective nouns are used often to describe groups of objects, concepts, emotions, people, and so on. In this grammar tip, we’ll focus on collective nouns that involve groups of people specifically. The table shows some examples of collective nouns that involve people:

 

Collective nouns are easy enough to identify, but it can become a little tricky to choose a pronoun if you need to refer back to the collective noun, because collective nouns may be either singular or plural.

As a brief reminder, pronouns are used to stand for or replace a noun or a collective noun within a sentence. An antecedent is what we call the noun that the pronoun refers to or replaces. Pronouns must agree in number, person, and gender.  Let's consider a sample sentence: "Betsy went to the grocery store to pick up her favorite brand of soda."  In this sentence, Betsy is the noun, which is singular, third person, and female; the pronoun her is likewise singular, third person, and female.

How will you know if the collective noun needs a singular or plural pronoun?  There are two main rules for pronoun-antecedent agreement when collective nouns are used.
 

Collective Nouns Acting Together
 

When the members who make up a collective noun are acting together as a unit, then you should use a singular pronoun.
 

Ex. The committee approved its bill.
 

Since the committee approved the bill as a whole and acted as one group, you should use the singular pronoun its.

 

Collective Nouns Acting Individually
 

When the members who make up a collective noun are acting individually, then you use a plural pronoun.
 

Ex. The basketball team went home to their wives.
 

Since the basketball team is not going to go to the same home to the same wife, you must use the plural pronoun, their.
 

Test Your Knowledge

Determine whether the pronouns agree with the collective nouns in theses sentences. If not, correct them.
 

1. By 1997, Pepsi retreated from most of their international markets, and the loss was estimated up to $1 billion.

2. Microsoft managers often operate its departments at the scale of about 200 programmers.

3. The jury felt that its verdict was deliberated carefully.

4. The class started its research paper on Monday.
    

Answers
 

1. Incorrect. In this sentence, the company Pepsi needs a singular pronoun because the company is acting as a unit. By 1997, Pepsi retreated from most of its international markets, and the loss was estimated up to $1 billion. (In American business usage, a company is always singular.)

2. Incorrect.   The managers run their departments individually, so the plural pronoun is required.  Microsoft managers often operate their departments at the scale of about 200 programmers.

3. Correct.  The collective noun jury is singular, and so is the pronoun.

4. Incorrect. The class is not working on the research paper together as a unit, so the pronoun should be plural, reflecting their separate actions. The class started their research papers on Monday.

Suggested Resources

Related Academic Center Resources
 

The Academic Center has a handout on Pronoun Antecedent Agreement. There is also a past grammar tip on collective nouns: http://www.uhv.edu/ac/student/writing/grammartip2004.11.23.htm.
 

Recommended Grammar Website of the Week
 

This website is suggested for more information on collective nouns: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/collectivenoun.htm.

Grammatically Correct is a grammar tip of the week created by Academic Center Peer Writing Tutors at the University of Houston-Victoria in Victoria, Texas.

Comments about this newsletter should be directed to Summer Leibensperger, leibenspergers@uhv.edu.

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