Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

A Lesson in Grammar

A. Grade Level- 10

B. Purpose

· Grammar: To use pronouns that agree in number, in gender, and in person with their antecedents.

· To recognize indefinite and ambiguous pronoun references.

· Writing: To use revision skills to correct errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement and to remove indefinite and ambiguous pronoun references.

· Arkansas Frameworks: W.1.17. Revise writing for clarity, coherence, economy, syntax, and style.

· Accommodation for learning disability: students will work in small groups and help each other with class assignment. Visual aid by using the overhead projector and using different colored ink to point out pronouns and antecedents.

C. Materials-handouts for class lesson, overhead projector, and chalkboard.

D. Procedure-The teacher will begin the lesson on pronoun-antecedent agreement by asking the students what the word “ante” means as in the words “ante-chamber” and “antebellum”. After discussion on this, the students should understand that ante means “going before.” The teacher will introduce the lesson plan on pronoun-antecedent agreement by showing examples on the over head projector.

· The teacher will teach the class as a whole group explaining that an antecedent is the noun or pronoun for which another pronoun stands and to which it refers. Transparency #1

· Agreement in number: the teacher will explain if the antecedent of a pronoun is singular, a singular pronoun is required. If the antecedent is plural, a plural pronoun is required. Transparency #2

· The Indefinite pronouns: all, some, any, and none may take either a singular or plural pronoun, depending upon the meaning intended. Transparency #3

· Two or more singular antecedents joined by or or nor are referred to by a singular pronoun. Explain that students should use the noun nearer the verb to determine the pronoun for subjects joined by or or nor. Transparency #4

· Students will be instructed to write the correct pronoun in sentences written on the chalkboard for class work. They will have 5 minutes to complete this lesson. Sentences

· Students will be placed in small groups to revise a paragraph, correcting errors in pronoun-antecedent agreement. They will also correct errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. After completing this assignment, each group will read aloud a corrected sentence from the paragraph. Paragraph

· At the end of the class, the students will turn in their class assignments for a grade.

· Homework: study pronoun reference in textbook and work concept check at end of section to turn in tomorrow. Homework

E. Source-James Blau, ed.,The Writer’s Craft. Evanston, IL: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 727-730.