Free Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement MCQs with Answers

1. Choose the correct pronoun: Every student must submit ____ own assignment.

• A. their
• B. his or her
• C. its
• D. them

Explanation: Every student is grammatically singular, so a formal examination expects the singular his or her. Singular they is increasingly accepted in general writing and is often the better choice for inclusivity, but entry tests still mark the traditional form. Its is used for things rather than people.

2. Choose the correct pronoun: Between you and ____, the plan will not work.

• A. I
• B. me
• C. myself
• D. mine

Explanation: Between is a preposition, so the pronoun following it must be in the object form, giving between you and me. Saying between you and I is a hypercorrection made by speakers avoiding the you and me error in subject position. Myself is reflexive and needs an earlier I in the same clause.

3. Choose the correct pronoun: The award was given to Ali and ____.

• A. I
• B. me
• C. myself
• D. mine

Explanation: The pronoun is the object of the preposition to, so the object form me is required. Testing it by removing the other name usually settles the choice: given to me sounds right, given to I does not. Myself would only be correct if I were also the subject of the sentence.

4. The board of directors expressed _______ disappointment with the financial results.

• A. their
• B. its
• C. his or her
• D. one's

Explanation: Board is a collective noun acting here as a single body, so the singular possessive its is correct in formal written English. Their would treat the members individually, which is acceptable in British usage but is not what an examination rewards. Consistency matters most: having chosen a singular verb for the collective noun, the pronoun must be singular too.

5. The market is nearer to them than ________.

• A. we
• B. us
• C. ours
• D. ourselves

Explanation: After than, us is the required object pronoun in this comparison: nearer to them than us. Ours is possessive and ourselves is reflexive, while we would require a fuller clause such as than we are.

6. We decided to do all the task ______ instead of waiting for help.

• A. of our own
• B. by ourselves
• C. ours
• D. All

Explanation: “By ourselves” is a reflexive phrase meaning without assistance, which matches “instead of waiting for help.” “Ours” is a possessive pronoun and cannot modify the verb phrase here.

7. The man _________ you met is an anchorperson.

• A. who
• B. whose
• C. whom
• D. which

Explanation: The pronoun is the object of met because the sentence means “you met him”; therefore, the formal relative pronoun is whom. Who is used for the subject of a clause, as in “the man who met you.”

8. Anna and Tania went shopping, but __________ couldn't find anything __________ liked.

• A. they, those
• B. they, them
• C. those, they
• D. they, they

Explanation: They refers to Anna and Tania, and the second they is the subject of liked, referring to the things they could not find. The sentence therefore reads, “they couldn't find anything they liked.”

9. There is no possibility of _______ coming late.

• A. them
• B. they
• C. theirs
• D. their

Explanation: After the preposition “of,” the possessive determiner “their” is used before the gerund “coming”: “the possibility of their coming late.” “They” is a subject form, not the required possessive form here.

10. Javed, two of___________brothers attend primary school, wishes to be a school teacher after his graduation from the University.

• A. whom
• B. them
• C. whose
• D. which

Explanation: “Whose” shows possession and links Javed with his brothers: “two of whose brothers.” “Whom” and “which” cannot introduce this possessive relationship.