Grammar rule

Pronoun agreement

A pronoun must match the noun it stands for in number.

Updated October 29, 2026

The rule

If the noun is singular, the pronoun is singular: the company and its workers, not their workers. A group noun such as team, class or committee is usually singular in American English.

Find the noun the pronoun points back to. If you can't find one, or there are two it could mean, the sentence needs a noun instead.

Examples

  • The team celebrated their first win.The team celebrated its first win.
  • Every student must bring their own lunch.Students must bring their own lunches.

Quick test: Ask "who or what is it?" and check that the pronoun and that noun are both singular or both plural.

Try it: find the mistake

The mistake in each sentence is highlighted. Say the fix out loud, then open the answer.

The cat licked their paws.

The cat licked its paws.

One cat owns the paws, so the pronoun is singular: its.

My sisters forgot her umbrellas.

My sisters forgot their umbrellas.

Sisters is plural, so the pronoun is their.

The band played their final song at midnight.

The band played its final song at midnight.

Band is one group, so the pronoun is singular: its.

If a student loses a library book, they must pay for it.

If a student loses a library book, he or she must pay for it.

A student is singular. In formal test writing, a singular noun takes he or she (or rewrite: "If students lose library books, they ...").

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Where this rule is tested

  • The CLT's Grammar/Writing section and the SAT's Reading and Writing section both test it, usually as "which choice is correct" with four versions of a sentence.
  • In the Daily Grammar Fix, it comes up in sentences for grades 4 to 6, grades 7 to 9 and grades 10 to 12.

Questions people ask

What is the rule for pronoun agreement?

A pronoun must match the noun it stands for in number. If the noun is singular, the pronoun is singular: the company and its workers, not their workers. A group noun such as team, class or committee is usually singular in American English.

How can I check my pronoun agreement quickly?

Ask "who or what is it?" and check that the pronoun and that noun are both singular or both plural.

Where can I practice this for free?

In Owl Test Prep's Daily Grammar Fix: one sentence a day for everyone, plus practice sets of five on this rule. It is free, with no account.

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