Directions: Choose the pronoun that establishes agreement. Download the accompanying handout to keep track of your answers.
Not only the comma errors but also the poor word choice frustrated Professor O'Brien as she marked _____ frequent occurrence in Roger's research paper.
its
their
My weird neighbors believe that the Loch Ness Monster ate Elvis, but _____ that space aliens have kidnapped the brain of the President.
he or she disagrees
they disagree
During the car trip to the coast, neither of my sisters could get _____ beauty sleep in the back seat because our old car bounced along on bad shock absorbers.
her
their
Both the living room furniture and the kitchen counter have _____ scarred from cigarettes that my chain-smoking Aunt Mary carelessly put down.
its surface
their surfaces
Watching the new recruits marching in the hot sun, the two drill sergeants made bets on how many soldiers would vomit _____ lunch during the strenuous exercise.
his
his or her
their
When the earthquake shook everyone awake, the family dashed outside without worrying about _____ possessions in the house.
its
their
After using the scissors to trim the loose thread on his new suit, Marvin left _____ on the couch where his mother later stabbed her thigh on the sharp points.
it
them
In their competition to have the fastest vehicle, neither of my brothers considered how a V-8 engine would drain _____ during the frequent trips to the gas pump to fill the tank.
his wallet
their wallets
Students in Freshman Composition—even Lorena with her smart mouth—never make bald jokes in front of Professor Ortiz, for he will make _____ read their papers aloud in class.
him or her
her
them
All of the clowns, acrobats, animal trainers, and audience members gasped in horror when _____ saw the knife juggler accidentally slice off his own hand with a chainsaw.
he or she
they
Both of my sisters believe that Mom and Dad love our brother Fred more than _____.
her
them
If students want to do well on the pronoun agreement quiz, _____ should have faithfully studied all the rules governing agreement.
he or she
they
The nursing program at the college can boast that _____ students often have a 100 percent pass rate on the state boards.
its
their
Each of these NFL players can remember a game when _____ played despite a pulled muscle, injured knee, or cracked rib.
he
they
The city's marine aquarium spends thousands of dollars a day to feed _____ animals fresh fish, crustaceans, and seaweed flown in from around the world.
its
their
The class brought _____ only to discover that an amiable substitute teacher was showing a movie that required no note-taking.
its heavy textbook
his or her heavy textbooks
their heavy textbooks
After complaining to the amiable substitute about aching backs, the class enjoyed _____ day of respite from old Professor Matthews and his nonstop lecturing.
its
their
Not only the customers but also Tiffany, the waitress on duty, ran for the emergency exit when _____ saw the giant green Martian walk into the diner.
she
they
Neither the raw oysters nor the crispy fried squid tentacles appeal to Christine, who would never consider letting _____ touch her lips
it
them
At the neighborhood grocery store, all of the cashiers, shoppers, and managers held _____ breath as a circus ringmaster led a baby elephant down the snack aisle to buy unsalted peanuts.