When a pronoun has two or more antecedents connected by and, the pronoun must be in the plural number; as, John and James brought their books.

Further treatment of number will be given under verbs.

Exercise 8

Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the proper pronouns. See that there is agreement in person, gender, and number:

  1. Has everybody finished —— work.
  2. If any one wishes a longer time, let —— hold up —— hand.
  3. The panther sprang from —— lurking place.
  4. Many a man has (have) lost —— money in speculation.
  5. The cat came each day for —— bit of meat.
  6. Everyone has to prove —— right to a seat.
  7. Let every boy answer for —— self (selves).
  8. The crowd was so great that we could hardly get through ——.
  9. Let any boy guess this riddle if —— can.
  10. Company H was greatly reduced in —— numbers.
  11. Every animal has some weapon with which —— can defend ——self (selves).
  12. Nowhere does each dare do as —— pleases (please).
  13. The elephant placed —— great foot on the man's chest.
  14. The child did not know —— mother.
  15. Death gathers —— unfailing harvest.
  16. Every kind of animal has —— natural enemies.
  17. The committee instructed —— chairman to report the matter.
  18. Two men were present, but neither would tell what —— saw.
  19. Truth always triumphs over —— enemies.
  20. Nobody did —— duty more readily than I.
  21. The cat never fails to catch —— prey.
  22. I have used both blue crayon and red crayon, but —— does (do) not write so clearly as white.
  23. If John and Henry whisper (whispers) —— will be punished.
  24. If John or Henry whisper (whispers) —— will be punished.
  25. Both Columbus and Cabot failed to realize the importance of —— discoveries.
  26. Neither the lawyer nor the sheriff liked —— task.
  27. The canary longed to escape from —— cage.
  28. The rat ran to —— hole.
  29. The dog seemed to know —— master was dead.
  30. Everyone should try to gather a host of friends about ——.
  31. If any one wishes to see me, send —— to the Pierce Building.
  32. Probably everybody is discouraged at least once in —— life.
  33. Nobody should deceive ——selves (self).
  34. Let each take —— own seat.
  35. Let each girl in the class bring —— book.
  36. Let each bring —— book.
  37. Let each bring —— sewing.
  38. The fox dropped —— meat in the pool.
  39. The rock lay on —— side.
  40. Let sleep enter with —— healing touch.
  41. Each believed that —— had been elected a delegate to the Mother's Congress.
  42. Consumption demands each year —— thousands of victims.
  43. Summer arrays ——self (selves) with flowers.
  44. Despair seized him in —— powerful grasp.
  45. If any boy or any girl finds the book, let —— bring it to me.
  46. Let every man and every woman speak ——mind.
  47. Spring set forth —— beauties.
  48. How does the mouse save —— self (selves) from being caught?
  49. The hen cackled —— loudest.
  50. Some man or boy lost —— hat.
  51. John or James will favor us with —— company.
  52. Neither the captain nor the soldiers showed ——self (selves) during the fight.
  53. If the boys or their father come we shall be glad to see ——.
  54. Every man and every boy received —— dinner.
  55. Every man or boy gave —— offering.

Exercise 9

By what gender of the pronouns would you refer to the following nouns?

Snake, death, care, mercy, fox, bear, walrus, child, baby, friend (uncertain sex), friend (known to be Mary), everybody, someone, artist, flower, moon, sun, sorrow, fate, student, foreigner, Harvard University, earth, Germany?

23. Relative Pronouns. Relative Pronouns are pronouns used to introduce adjective or noun clauses that are not interrogative. In the sentence, The man that I mentioned has come, the relative clause, that I mentioned, is an adjective clause modifying man. In the sentence, Whom she means, I do not know, the relative clause is, whom she means, and is a noun clause forming the object of the verb know.

The relative pronouns are who (whose, whom), which, that and what. But and as are sometimes relative pronouns. There are, also, compound relative pronouns, which will be mentioned later.