The Basic Rule:
A pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent. The antecedent is the noun the pronoun refers to.
Example:
* The dog wagged its tail.
* "Dog" is the antecedent, and "its" is the pronoun. Both are singular.
The Challenge with Two Nouns:
When you have two nouns, you need to figure out which noun the pronoun is referring to. The pronoun will usually be closest to its antecedent.
Example:
* The cat and the dog chased their toys.
* Both "cat" and "dog" are plural, but "their" is closer to "dog." We assume the sentence refers to the toys belonging to the dog.
To make it clear:
* The cat chased its toy, and the dog chased his toy.
Ambiguity:
Sometimes, the sentence structure can be ambiguous. For example:
* The boy and the girl ran to their house.
* It's unclear if they are going to one house or two.
Solutions:
* Rewrite the sentence for clarity: "The boy ran to his house, and the girl ran to hers."
* Use different pronouns: "The boy and the girl ran to their respective houses."
Key Takeaways:
* Proximity matters: The pronoun usually refers to the closest noun.
* Clarity is key: Rewrite sentences to avoid ambiguity.
* Pronouns must agree with antecedents: Make sure the pronoun matches the noun in number and gender.
Let me know if you have any more sentences you'd like to analyze!