Pronoun-antecedent agreement is one of the most important aspects of grammar and writing. It refers to the proper matching of a pronoun with its antecedent, the noun or phrase to which it refers. This is crucial for clear and effective communication, and it can be a tricky concept for many writers to master.

In order to demonstrate correct pronoun-antecedent agreement, let`s take a look at the following sentences:

1. Each of the students submitted their homework on time.

2. Jim and his sister went to the store, and they bought some groceries.

3. The company announced that it would be increasing their salaries.

Out of these three sentences, only one shows correct pronoun-antecedent agreement. Let`s break down each sentence to see where the errors lie.

Sentence 1: Each of the students submitted their homework on time.

The antecedent in this sentence is “each of the students,” which is singular. However, the pronoun “their” is plural, referring to more than one person. This is a common error known as a pronoun-antecedent disagreement. To fix this sentence, we could change “their” to “his or her” to match the singular antecedent: “Each of the students submitted his or her homework on time.”

Sentence 2: Jim and his sister went to the store, and they bought some groceries.

This sentence demonstrates correct pronoun-antecedent agreement. The antecedent is “Jim and his sister,” which is plural. The pronoun “they” is also plural, matching the antecedent. Therefore, the sentence is grammatically correct.

Sentence 3: The company announced that it would be increasing their salaries.

The antecedent in this sentence is “the company,” which is singular. However, the pronoun “their” is plural, referring to more than one person. This is once again a common error known as pronoun-antecedent disagreement. To fix this sentence, we could change “their” to “its” to match the singular antecedent: “The company announced that it would be increasing its salaries.”

In conclusion, sentence 2 is the only example that shows correct pronoun-antecedent agreement. The other two sentences demonstrate common errors that can be easily fixed with some attention to grammar. By ensuring that your pronouns match their antecedents properly, you can ensure that your writing is clear, effective, and grammatically correct.