Pronoun Agreement and Clear Reference
SAT Reading & WritingStandard English ConventionsMedium
Make every pronoun agree with and clearly identify its antecedent.
What you need to know
- A pronoun must match its antecedent in number and person.
- Ambiguous pronouns can refer to more than one plausible noun.
- Who refers to people; which generally refers to things; that can introduce restrictive clauses.
- Possessive pronouns never use apostrophes: its, yours, theirs.
The AYLOTI method
- Circle the pronoun.
- Find the noun it replaces.
- Check number, person, and case.
- Rewrite the noun when the reference would otherwise be ambiguous.
AYLOTI • Sir Hunain Zia • SAT Score 1594/1600 • 154 Total A Grades (Personal), 11 World Records, 7 Distinctions
Worked example
When Maya spoke with Lina, she explained the result. Why might revision be needed?
- “She” could refer to Maya or Lina.
- The sentence does not resolve the ambiguity.
- Naming the intended speaker fixes the reference.
Answer: Use “Maya explained the result to Lina” if Maya is the intended speaker.
Common SAT traps
- Using it’s for the possessive its.
- Switching from one to you without reason.
- Using which for a person.
Quick check
Choose: “The device lost its/it’s charge.”
“Its,” the possessive form.
Before you move on
- Explain the core rule without looking back.
- Redo the worked example using your own steps.
- Write the trap you are most likely to fall for.
