The rules
| Rule | Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Match number | The museum reopened their doors. | The museum reopened its doors. | Museum is one thing, so its. |
| Two nouns joined by and are plural | Maya and Jun forgot his lunches. | Maya and Jun forgot their lunches. | Two people together take their. |
| With or / nor, match the nearer noun | Either the teacher or the students will share her notes. | Either the teacher or the students will share their notes. | Students is nearer, and it is plural. |
| One clear antecedent | When Ana called Rosa, she was crying. | When Ana called Rosa, Ana was crying. | She could be either person. Name the one you mean. |
| Do not switch person | If students want to improve, you should practice. | If students want to improve, they should practice. | The sentence starts in the third person (students), so stay there. |
Worked examples
Example 1: find the antecedent
Problem The city council announced (its / their) new budget on Monday.
- Ask what the pronoun stands for: the council.
- In US English, a group acting as one unit is singular.
Answer The city council announced its new budget on Monday.
Example 2: fix an unclear pronoun
Problem Leo told his dad that his bike had a flat tire.
- Whose bike? His could be Leo's or his dad's.
- Name the owner, or rewrite as a quote.
Answer Leo told his dad that Leo's bike had a flat tire. or Leo told his dad, "My bike has a flat tire."
Example 3: this and it with no noun
Problem The lab took three hours, and the results were unclear. This made us start over.
- What does This refer to? The long lab? The unclear results? Both?
- Add a noun after this so the reader knows.
Answer This confusion made us start over.
Common mistakes and fixes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Using their for a single thing like a school or a company | Use its: The school changed its schedule. |
| A pronoun that could mean two people | Repeat the name, or rewrite the sentence. |
| Starting with students or a person and switching to you | Pick one person and stay with it. |
| This or it standing alone at the start of a sentence | Add a noun: this result, this mistake. |
Practice
Five pronoun questions
After the storm, the museum reopened ___ doors.
- there
- their
- it's
- its
Show answer
Answer: its
Museum is singular, so the possessive pronoun is its. Their is plural, it's means it is, and there is a place.
The two teams shook hands after ___ match.
- its
- their
- his
- it's
Show answer
Answer: their
The antecedent is teams, plural, so use their. Its and his are singular, and it's means it is.
Which sentence is clearest?
- When Ana called Rosa, she was crying.
- When Ana called Rosa, they were upset.
- When Ana called Rosa, her voice was shaking.
- When Ana called Rosa, Ana was crying.
Show answer
Answer: When Ana called Rosa, Ana was crying.
Naming Ana removes all doubt. In the other sentences, she, her and they could point to Ana, Rosa or both.
If students want to improve, ___ should practice every day.
- you
- he or she
- it
- they
Show answer
Answer: they
Students is plural and in the third person, so use they. You switches person, he or she is singular, and it does not refer to people.
Either the teacher or the students will present ___ findings.
- their
- her
- its
- his
Show answer
Answer: their
With either...or, the pronoun matches the nearer noun, students, which is plural. The other choices are singular.
Frequently asked questions
Is it wrong to write everyone and their?
In casual writing it is very common, and many style guides now accept singular they, including APA. Some teachers still want formal agreement, such as Everyone brought his or her book, or a rewrite to plural: All the students brought their books. The plural rewrite works in every style.
Does a team take it or they?
In US English, use it and its when the team acts as one unit: The team won its first game. British English often uses they. If you mean the separate members, it is clearer to say so: The players packed their bags.
What is a vague pronoun?
A pronoun with no clear noun to point to, such as this, that, it or they standing alone: They say it will rain. Who are they? Fix it by naming the noun: The forecast says it will rain.
Sources
- Purdue OWL, Using Pronouns Clearly, accessed October 1, 2026
- Purdue OWL, Gendered Pronouns and Singular They, accessed October 1, 2026
- APA Style, Singular They, accessed October 1, 2026
