Session 08  ·  Student Handout  ·  Form & Agreement · Standard English Conventions

Pronouns — Agreement, Clarity & Case

A pronoun must match its antecedent in number, point unambiguously to one noun, and take the right case. When a pronoun could refer to two things — or to no clear noun at all — the SAT wants the version that names it.

Form & Agreement Phase Form & Agreement Session 08 of 10
01 Pronoun–Antecedent Agreement
Match the number
A singular antecedent takes a singular pronoun: Every student brought their… — on the SAT, treat each/every/anyone/a person as singular. A company must protect its (not their) data.
02 Ambiguous Reference
If it could point to two nouns, name it
× When the cable meets the pipe, it bends. — which one? Vague this/that/which/it with no clear noun is also wrong. The right answer usually replaces the pronoun with the actual noun.
03 Case — who/whom, I/me
Subject vs. object
Subject pronouns (I, he, she, they, who) do the action; object pronouns (me, him, her, them, whom) receive it. Test who/whom by answering with he/him: if he fits → who; if him fits → whom. For “between you and ___” use me (object of the preposition).
Ready to practice?

14 questions for this session — 4 guided (label the structure first), 6 on the clock, and 4 in home practice. Every timed score feeds your sub-skill Error Log.

Open Session 08 Exercises →