SAT/sphere SAT Blog
Mastering Pronoun Agreement on the SAT: Essential Strategies for Writing Section Clarity
Eliminate Ambiguity and Match Antecedents Using Professional SAT Editing Techniques
Pronoun agreement errors are the silent assassins of the SAT Writing and Language section, often hidden within complex phrases. This comprehensive guide breaks down the core rules of number and person, offering high-impact strategies like the replace-and-read test. Master how to handle collective nouns and ambiguous antecedents to ensure every sentence you edit is clear, precise, and high-scoring.
January 15, 2026
January 15, 2026
Test Your SAT Knowledge
In the sentence 'Each of the runners brought their bibs,' what is the true antecedent for the pronoun?
These answers cover the main questions connected to this SAT topic, so you can review the key points quickly. They also give you a faster way to revisit the practical takeaways without rereading the full article.
Pronoun agreement is the matching of a pronoun with its antecedent in number, person, and gender. On the SAT Writing and Language test it determines whether a sentence is clear, precise, and concise, which is a core skill the exam measures.
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The replace‑and‑read test asks you to substitute the suspected antecedent for the pronoun and read the sentence aloud. If the substitution sounds awkward or ambiguous, the original pronoun reference is likely unclear, and the best answer will either fix the agreement or remove the pronoun.
Indefinite pronouns like each, either, neither, everyone, anybody, and somebody are treated as singular on the SAT. They require a singular pronoun (his or her) or a rewrite that makes the sentence plural (All participants brought their tickets).
Typical traps include ambiguous they/it/this/that that could refer to multiple nouns, number mismatches (singular antecedent with plural pronoun), person shifts (one…you), gender mismatches, and vague demonstratives that point to an idea instead of a noun.
Collective nouns are singular when the group acts as a single unit, so you use a singular pronoun (the committee reached its decision). If the sentence emphasizes individual members acting separately, a plural pronoun may be appropriate, but the SAT usually prefers the clean singular form.
1) Find the exact antecedent. 2) Check that the pronoun matches it in number, person, and gender. 3) Look for decoy nouns in prepositional or appositive phrases. 4) Apply the replace‑and‑read test. 5) Prefer rewrites that eliminate the pronoun and name the noun for clarity.
