Rules of Pronoun Antecedents:
1. Agreement in Number: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular or plural).
* Example 1: The dog wagged its tail. (Singular pronoun "its" agrees with singular antecedent "dog")
* Example 2: The students raised their hands. (Plural pronoun "their" agrees with plural antecedent "students")
2. Agreement in Person: A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in person (first, second, or third person).
* Example 1: I went to the store and bought myself some milk. (First-person pronoun "myself" agrees with first-person antecedent "I")
* Example 2: You should ask your teacher for help. (Second-person pronoun "your" agrees with second-person antecedent "you")
3. Agreement in Gender: A pronoun should agree with its antecedent in gender (masculine, feminine, or neuter).
* Example 1: The cat was chasing its tail. (Neuter pronoun "its" agrees with neuter antecedent "cat")
* Example 2: My sister went to the library with her friend. (Feminine pronoun "her" agrees with feminine antecedent "sister")
4. Clarity of Antecedent: A pronoun should refer clearly to a single, identifiable antecedent. Avoid ambiguity.
* Example 1: John told his friend that he was going to the movies. (It is clear that "he" refers to John)
* Example 2: Sarah and Mary went to the park. She fell and scraped her knee. (It is unclear who "she" refers to - Sarah or Mary. This needs to be rewritten for clarity.)
5. Avoid Using Pronouns in Place of Proper Nouns: Proper nouns should not be replaced with pronouns unless the context clearly identifies the person.
* Example 1: John went to the store, but he came home without any milk. (This is acceptable, as "John" is already established)
* Example 2: My brother went to the store, but he came home without any milk. (This is less clear, especially if there are multiple brothers.)
6. Avoid Using Too Many Pronouns: Excessive use of pronouns can make writing unclear. Use nouns or phrases to repeat or reintroduce an idea to avoid confusion.
* Example 1: The dog was playing in the park. It was having a great time. It ran around and chased squirrels. (Pronouns are used too much and make it unclear who "it" refers to)
* Example 2: The dog was playing in the park. The playful canine was having a great time. The dog ran around and chased squirrels. (This is clearer, as the noun "dog" is repeated to avoid confusion.)
Remember, clear and concise writing requires careful attention to pronoun-antecedent agreement and clarity.