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Quizzes > English & Grammar

Pronoun Reference Quiz: Identify Clear Antecedents in Real Sentences

Quick, free pronoun clarity quiz. Instant results and explanations.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Dovydas LaukysUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for a pronoun reference skills quiz on a teal background

This pronoun reference quiz helps you check who or what each pronoun refers to and fix unclear references. Work through short items, get instant feedback, and learn to make your sentences clear. For more practice, try our using pronouns correctly quiz and personal pronoun quiz, or review the basics with a noun and pronoun quiz.

Everyone must submit ______ report by Friday.
its
our
their
his or her
'Everyone' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so the pronoun that refers to it must also be singular. Using 'his or her' ensures correct agreement with singular antecedents. Although 'their' is commonly used informally, it is technically plural. For more on pronoun-antecedent agreement, see .
Between you and __, I'm the better candidate.
I
myself
mine
me
The preposition 'between' requires the objective case, so 'me' is correct. 'I' would be the subjective case and is incorrect here. Reflexive and possessive forms also don't fit. See more on pronoun cases at .
The team won __ championship last year.
its
their
it's
they
When a collective noun like 'team' is acting as a single unit, a singular pronoun ('its') is appropriate. The plural 'their' treats the team members individually, which is less precise here. 'It's' is a contraction of it is, and 'they' is a subject pronoun. For more, visit .
She prepared __ for the exam.
her
hers
herself
herselfs
A reflexive pronoun is needed when the subject and object are the same person. 'Herself' correctly reflects that 'she' both prepared and is receiving the action. 'Her' would be objective but not reflexive. See reflexive pronouns at .
Both of my friends said __ will arrive late.
themselves
them
their
they
'Both' indicates a plural antecedent, so the subject pronoun 'they' is correct. 'Themselves' is reflexive and would require an action back to the subject. Possessive and object forms don't fit. For subject pronouns, see .
Which sentence contains an ambiguous pronoun reference?
When Jessica gave Emma her book, Emma thanked her.
The committee finalized its decision before the meeting.
The dog wagged its tail when it saw its owner.
Marcus forgot his keys at home.
In the first sentence, it's unclear whether 'her book' belongs to Jessica or Emma, and 'her' in 'thanked her' is similarly ambiguous. The other sentences have clear antecedents and references. To learn more about ambiguity, visit .
Neither the teacher nor the students turned in __ assignments on time.
its
his
their
his or her
With 'neither…nor,' the pronoun agrees with the nearer antecedent ('students'), which is plural. Therefore 'their' is correct. Singular forms and 'its' do not match the plural noun 'students.' For details, see .
Each of the students must bring __ textbook to class.
its
his or her
our
their
'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so the pronoun referring back to it must also be singular. 'His or her' satisfies this agreement. 'Their' is plural and does not technically agree. See more at .
Every employee must update __ profile before the deadline.
its
their
the employee's
his or her
'Every employee' is singular, so the pronoun must agree in number. 'His or her' correctly reflects a singular antecedent. Although 'their' is increasingly accepted, it remains plural. For pronoun-antecedent rules, see .
To __ should I address the letter?
that
which
who
whom
In formal English, the object of a verb or preposition uses 'whom.' Since the letter is being addressed to someone, 'whom' is correct. 'Who' is the subject form. For more on who vs. whom, see .
The book __ I borrowed was fascinating.
whose
who
which
that
For non-human antecedents, both 'that' and 'which' can serve as relative pronouns. However, 'which' is more appropriate in nonrestrictive or formal contexts here. 'Who' is for people, and 'whose' denotes possession. See .
The students, __ were late, missed the exam.
who
which
that
whom
In nonrestrictive clauses about people, 'who' is the correct relative pronoun. 'That' and 'which' are used for things, and 'whom' is the objective case of 'who.' For details, consult .
I appreciate __ help with the project.
you
your
yours
yourself
Before a noun ('help'), a possessive determiner ('your') is required rather than a subject or reflexive pronoun. 'You' and 'yours' don't fit grammatically. For possessive pronouns, see .
The president and founder gave __ approval to the new policy.
our
her
their
his
When two people share responsibility as a unit, a plural pronoun ('their') is appropriate. Using 'his' or 'her' would incorrectly assume gender or singularity. See joint antecedents at .
One of the managers misplaced __ keys.
its
our
their
his or her
'One of the managers' is singular, so the pronoun must also be singular. 'His or her' matches that requirement. 'Their' is plural and 'its' refers to non-human antecedents. For indefinite pronouns, see .
In the sentence "When Sam talked to Alex, they agreed to collaborate," who does "they" refer to?
Neither
Sam
Both Sam and Alex
Alex
The pronoun 'they' refers to both Sam and Alex, indicating a mutual agreement. It cannot logically refer to just one person. Defining plural antecedents helps clarify this usage. See plural pronouns at .
Which pronoun best completes the sentence without ambiguity? "Every manager and employee must submit __ report by Friday."
them
his or her
its
their
'Every manager and employee' is singular in construction, so a singular pronoun ('his or her') avoids number mismatch. Using 'their' would signal plurality. For singular 'every' constructions, see .
Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence? "Neither the guidelines nor the policy supports __ objectives."
its
your
our
their
With 'neither…nor,' pronoun agreement follows the nearer noun ('policy'), which is singular. Therefore, 'its objectives' is correct. 'Their' would mismatch number. See agreement rules at .
Identify the type of pronoun in: "It seems that the project will be delayed."
Dummy pronoun
Reflexive pronoun
Demonstrative pronoun
Personal pronoun
The first 'it' does not refer to any concrete noun; it functions solely as a placeholder subject or 'dummy it.' Dummy pronouns are common in English sentences like this. For more, see .
In the sentence "If one wants to succeed, you must practice daily," what is the pronoun error?
Incorrect case
Mixed pronoun reference
Ambiguous antecedent
No error
The sentence begins with the generic pronoun 'one' and then shifts to 'you,' which creates a mixed reference. Both pronouns should match in form for consistency. For pronoun consistency guidelines, see .
Which revision eliminates the ambiguity in "After talking to Mark, he decided to resign"?
After speaking with Mark, he decided to resign.
After Mark talked to him, he decided to resign.
After talking to Mark, he decided to resign.
After talking to Mark, John decided to resign.
By specifying 'John' rather than using a pronoun, the revision makes it clear who decided to resign. The other options either retain ambiguity or shift the structure without clarity. Clear antecedents improve readability. See clarity tips at .
In the sentence "The company delivered the goods to the client, which were damaged," what is the pronoun error?
'which' incorrectly refers to 'client'
The comma splice
Missing article
'delivered' is the wrong verb
The relative pronoun 'which' follows 'client,' implying the client was damaged, which is illogical. It should refer to 'goods.' This is a classic misplacement error. For guidance on relative pronoun placement, see .
Choose the correct pronoun case: "Me and him are going to the meeting."
He and I
Him and me
Me and him
I and he
As subjects of a verb, pronouns must be in the subjective case. 'He and I' is the correct form. 'Me' and 'him' are objective-case pronouns and do not function correctly as subjects. For subject vs. object pronouns, see .
Identify the antecedent of "its" in: "The committee submitted its report ahead of schedule."
report
its
committee
schedule
The pronoun 'its' refers back to 'the committee,' which is the noun performing the action of submitting. It cannot refer to 'report' or 'schedule.' Correct antecedent identification prevents confusion. See antecedents at .
Which revision most effectively clarifies that Emily was surprised in the sentence: "When Jessica asked Emily for her book, she was surprised"?
When Jessica asked Emily for Jessica's book, she was surprised.
When Jessica asked Emily for her book, Jessica was surprised.
When Jessica asked Emily for Emily's book, she was surprised.
When Jessica asked Emily for her book, Emily was surprised.
By explicitly naming Emily as the subject of 'was surprised,' the second option removes any doubt about who experienced surprise. The other revisions either leave ambiguity or misassign the reaction. Clear subjects prevent misinterpretation. For advanced clarity strategies, see .
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Pronouns and Antecedents -

    Pinpoint pronouns in sentences and determine their correct antecedents for clear and accurate reference.

  2. Apply Correct Pronoun Usage -

    Choose the appropriate pronoun forms in various contexts, from simple sentences to complex structures.

  3. Distinguish Pronoun Forms -

    Differentiate between subjective, objective, and possessive pronouns to ensure precise agreement.

  4. Analyze Pronoun Agreement -

    Evaluate sentences for number and gender consistency between pronouns and their antecedents.

  5. Correct Common Errors -

    Spot and fix frequent pronoun reference mistakes to enhance clarity and professionalism in writing.

  6. Boost Grammar Confidence -

    Build assurance in your pronoun reference skills through interactive challenges and instant feedback.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Subject vs. Object Pronouns -

    Mastering the difference between subject pronouns (I, we, they) and object pronouns (me, us, them) is crucial for correct pronoun usage. According to Purdue OWL guidelines, always match your pronoun to its grammatical role to avoid errors in your pronoun reference quiz answers. Try the mnemonic "She acts, them reacts" to remember who does the action and who receives it.

  2. Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement -

    Ensuring a pronoun matches its antecedent in number and gender is essential for clarity in any pronoun agreement quiz. As the Cambridge Grammar of the English Language recommends, singular antecedents need singular pronouns (e.g., "Each student must bring his or her book"). Test yourself with sample sentences to reinforce correct pronoun reference.

  3. Reflexive and Intensive Pronouns -

    Reflexive pronouns (myself, ourselves) show an action returning to the subject, while intensive pronouns emphasize a subject (e.g., "I baked the cake myself"). The Oxford English Dictionary notes that mixing these up can lead to awkward phrasing, so include these in your pronoun usage quiz practice. Remember "Sally saw herself" to lock in the reflexive form!

  4. Avoiding Ambiguous Pronoun References -

    Ambiguity arises when it's unclear which noun a pronoun replaces, so always place the pronoun next to its antecedent. Merriam-Webster advises reviewing sentences like "When Jim talked to Bob, he laughed" and rewriting them for clarity (e.g., "Jim laughed when he talked to Bob"). This tip will boost your score on any identify pronouns test.

  5. Pronoun Case and Tense Consistency -

    Maintaining consistent case (subjective, objective) and tense prevents confusion in multi-clause sentences, a strategy endorsed by the American Psychological Association. For instance, avoid switching from "who" to "whom" mid-sentence without reason, especially in a pronoun reference quiz. Regular drills on mixed-case sentences will reinforce smooth, confident writing.

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