A pronoun should agree in gender, as well as in number, with the noun or pronoun to which it refers.

We have no singular pronoun to represent either male or female. When such a pronoun is needed, it is the custom to use a masculine form; thus, -

Every person did his duty. Each pupil must be in his place.

Exercise 207. Composition

Fill blanks with correct pronoun forms. Give the number and gender of each pronoun used.

1. One of the girls lost ----- book.

2. One of the boys lost ----- book.

3. Each of the pupils brought ----- book to class.

4. Not one of the flowers has lost ----- freshness.

5. Every king should remember ----- duties as well as ----privileges.

6. Every sunflower turned ----- face to the sun.

7. Every mother was sure ----- baby was the prettiest.

8. Any one can do this if ----- will try.

9. Every man in the crowd shouted at the top of ----- voice.

10. The conductor told each person what car ----- should take.

11. Each person should do what seems right to -----.

Exercise 208. Development

Write sentences in which you use a singular form of the noun boy as (1) subject, (2) object, (3) possessive modifier, (4) predicate attribute, and (5) object of a preposition.

Write sentences in which you use a plural form of the same noun in the same constructions.

Change the forms of the noun boy in the sentences you have written to forms of the pronoun he.

How many singular forms of the noun did you use? How many plural forms? In what constructions did you use the same form? How many singular forms of the pronoun did you use? In what constructions did you use the same form? How many plural forms? In what constructions did you use the same form?

Write sentences in which you use singular forms of the interrogative pronoun who as subject, object, possessive modifier, predicate attribute, and object of a preposition. How many different forms did you use? In what constructions did you use the same form?

Write sentences in which you use plural forms of the same pronoun in the same constructions. How do the singular and plural forms compare?