Reading & WritingStandard English ConventionsHigh frequency

SAT Reading & Writing: Noun and Pronoun Agreement

33+ practice questions in Praczo

What you need to know

The concept, explained

  • 1

    A pronoun must agree in number (singular vs. plural) with the noun it refers back to.

  • 2

    If the noun is singular (e.g., "the committee," "the company," "every student"), the pronoun must be singular ("it," "its," "he/she").

  • 3

    If the noun is plural (e.g., "the workers," "many vehicles"), the pronoun must be plural ("they," "their").

  • 4

    Collective nouns (jury, team, family, corporation) are usually singular on the SAT because they act as a single unit.

Common mistakes
  • Using plural pronouns ("they/their") to refer to singular collective nouns like "the government." (The government passed ITS budget, not THEIR budget).
  • Losing track of the antecedent in a long sentence.
Try a sample question

SAT-style practice

The university administration announced that _____ would be raising tuition next semester.

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