Why is this phrase considered to contain a pronoun-antecedent agreement with indefinite pronouns? "Each of the applicants must submit their completed forms to the interviewer."
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/pronouns.htm
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/595/02/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronoun
This phrase is considered to contain a pronoun-antecedent agreement with indefinite pronouns because it follows the grammatical rule of using the plural pronoun "their" to refer back to the indefinite pronoun "each."
To understand why this agreement is correct, let's break down the sentence:
- "Each" is an indefinite pronoun that refers to individual members of a group.
- "Of the applicants" specifies the group being referred to.
- "Must submit" is the main verb indicating the action required.
- "Their completed forms" is the object of the verb, showing what each applicant needs to submit.
- "To the interviewer" indicates the recipient of the forms.
According to the traditional rules of pronoun-antecedent agreement, singular indefinite pronouns (such as "each," "every," "either," and "neither") should be followed by singular pronouns. However, the use of the plural pronoun "their" in this sentence has become widely accepted and is considered grammatically correct.
Using the singular pronoun "his or her" instead of "their" is another option to ensure strict agreement, but it can be perceived as gender-specific. To avoid this gender bias and to be inclusive, many people prefer the plural pronoun "their" as a gender-neutral alternative.
To determine if a pronoun-antecedent agreement is correct, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the pronoun and its antecedent (the noun or pronoun that the pronoun refers to).
2. Determine whether the pronoun and its antecedent are singular or plural.
3. Ensure that the pronoun matches in number with its antecedent. If the antecedent is singular, use a singular pronoun (e.g., his, her). If the antecedent is plural, use a plural pronoun (e.g., their).
In this case, the phrase "Each of the applicants must submit their completed forms to the interviewer" follows this rule by using the plural pronoun "their" to agree with the singular indefinite pronoun "each."