Pronoun Usage
Pronouns are tiny words doing big work — *he*, *she*, *it*, *they*, *which*, *who*. The SAT tests whether each pronoun has a clear antecedent and matches it in number.
| Person | Subject (does the action) | Object (receives the action) | Possessive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st singular | I | me | my / mine |
| 2nd | you | you | your / yours |
| 3rd masculine | he | him | his |
| 3rd feminine | she | her | her / hers |
| 3rd neuter | it | it | its |
| 1st plural | we | us | our / ours |
| 3rd plural | they | them | their / theirs |
| Relative | who | whom | whose |
| Trap | Wrong | Right |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong case in compound | *Sara and me went…* | *Sara and I went…* |
| Wrong case as object | *… invited Sara and I* | *… invited Sara and me* |
| Ambiguous *she* | *When Sara met Lisa, she was nervous.* | *When Sara met Lisa, Lisa was nervous.* |
| Reflexive misuse | *Send the report to myself.* | *Send the report to me.* |
| Singular agreement | *Each student got their book.* (strict SAT) | *Each student got his or her book.* OR rewrite plural |
Identify the antecedent first. Then check: number agreement, case (subject/object), and clarity. If a pronoun could refer to two things, that's wrong.
The novelist, who _______ three bestsellers before turning forty, credits her prolific output to a disciplined daily writing routine.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Worked examples
Choose the correct pronoun.
The committee had to decide whether to award the grant to my colleague or ____.
Choose the option that creates a clear, grammatically correct sentence.
When Maria spoke with the manager, she explained the new policy.
Common pitfalls
"They invited my brother and I" is wrong — me is the object. "My brother and me went to the store" is also wrong — I is the subject. Drop the other person to test.
"He told her the news, which surprised her" — does which refer to the news or his telling her? When which / this / that could mean two things, the SAT treats it as wrong. The fix usually restates.
Myself, himself, themselves are ONLY for when subject = object. "Please send the report to myself" is wrong (should be to me). "I hurt myself" is correct (subject = object).
Each, every, anyone, no one are SINGULAR. "Each student should bring their book" is technically wrong on the SAT — though it's accepted in modern usage. Use his or her, or rewrite with a plural subject.
Key takeaways
Every pronoun needs a clear, unambiguous antecedent.
Match pronoun NUMBER to antecedent: each / every / no one are singular.
Subject pronouns (I, he, she, they, who) vs. object pronouns (me, him, her, them, whom).
Drop the other part of a compound to test pronoun case.
Use reflexive pronouns (myself, himself) only when subject and object are the same.
Checkpoint
10 questions on Form, Structure, and Sense, from our question bank. Score 70% or better across 10 answers to reach Silver and pass this step.