Think of it like this:
* Pronoun: The word that stands in for a noun (he, she, it, they, etc.)
* Antecedent: The noun the pronoun is replacing.
Example:
* Sentence: The dog wagged its tail.
* Pronoun: its
* Antecedent: The dog
The pronoun "its" refers back to the noun "dog," so "dog" is the antecedent.
Why are antecedents important?
Understanding antecedents is crucial for clear and grammatically correct writing. When a pronoun doesn't have a clear antecedent, the meaning of the sentence becomes ambiguous or unclear.
Here are some examples of pronoun errors that occur without clear antecedents:
* "The students took their seats. They were happy about the announcement." (Who is "they" referring to? The students, or someone else?)
* "I saw John and Mary at the park. He was wearing a red shirt." (Who is "he" referring to? John or Mary?)
To avoid these errors, ensure that each pronoun in your writing has a clear and unambiguous antecedent.