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    Sentence Correction
  I: Introduction
  II: Sentence Correction Tips
  III: Glossary
  IV: Three-Step Method
V: Seven Error Types  
1. Subject-Verb Agreement
2. Modifiers
3. Parallelism
4. Pronoun Agreement
a. Introduction
b. Subject vs. Object
c. Who vs Whom
d. Singular and Plural Pronouns
e. Possessive Pronouns
f. Objects of to be verbs
g. Relative Pronouns
h. Sample Questions
5. Verb Time Sequences
6. Comparisons
7. Idioms
  VI: Sample Questions

 

   

4. Pronoun Agreement: Sample Questions
 

 

Pronoun Agreement

A. Introduction
B. Subject vs. Object
C. Who vs. Whom
D. Singular and Plural Pronouns
E. Possessive Pronouns
F. Objects of to be verbs
G. Relative Pronouns
H. Sample Questions

EASY

1. The choir sang passionately, as they moved through elaborate and challenging four-part harmonies.

a) as they moved through elaborate and challenging four-part harmonies.
b) as they were moving through elaborate and challenging four-part harmonies.
c) moving themselves through elaborate and challenging four-part harmonies.
d) as it moved through elaborate and challenging four-part harmonies.
e) moving elaborately through challenging four-part harmonies.


Explanation:
This question tests pronoun agreement. The sentence in (A) contains incorrect agreement because The choir is singular. Though it is made up of many members, the choir is a group and functions as a singular subject. Thus, the pronoun referring to the choir should also be singular. They is plural. (B) uses they and (C) uses themselves’ Thus neither is correct. (E) changes the meaning of the sentence, by rewording it such that the movement is elaborate, not the harmonies. Only (D) uses the pronoun it to agree with the singular subject the choir.




HARD

2. Marston was an early seventeenth century dramatist and it is likely that him and Shakespeare borrowed ideas from one another.

a) it is likely that him and Shakespeare borrowed ideas from one another.
b) it is likely that they borrowed ideas from one another.
c) it is likely that him and Shakespeare borrowed ideas from each other.
d) it is likely that himself and Shakespeare borrowed ideas from one another.
e) it is likely that he and Shakespeare borrowed ideas from one another.


Explanation: This question tests pronoun agreement. The pronoun him in the original sentence replaces Marston. It is in the wrong case. Instead of the objective case, the pronoun should be in the subjective case, since Marston is the subject of the sentence. Therefore (E), which uses the subjective pronoun he, is correct. (B) is wrong because, though they is subjective, it eliminates any meaning of Shakespeare from the sentence, making the pronoun ambiguous.
 
 


 
 
 


G. Relative Pronouns


5. VERB TIME SEQUENCES