Which sentence has a pronoun usage error?

Ideas for Solving the Problem

1. Pronoun-antecedent agreement: Pronouns must agree in number (singular or plural) with their antecedents (the nouns they refer to).
2. Singular vs. Plural: Identifying whether a noun is singular or plural is crucial for correct pronoun usage.
3. Collective nouns: Collective nouns (like "audience," "team," "committee") can be tricky. They can be treated as singular or plural depending on whether they are acting as a single unit or as individual members.

Solution Steps

Step 1: Analyze each sentence for pronoun usage.

• Sentence 1: "Thomas was supposed to pick me up, but he's late." - "he" refers to "Thomas." Both are singular. Correct.
• Sentence 2: "She drove herself to the performance, but left early." - "herself" refers to "She." Both are singular. Correct.
• Sentence 3: "The judges showed their scoresheets to the contestants." - "their" refers to "judges." "judges" is plural. Correct.
• Sentence 4: "The audience left its seats after curtain call." - "its" refers to "audience." "audience" is a collective noun. In this sentence, the audience members are leaving their individual seats, implying individual action. Therefore, a plural pronoun ("their") would be more appropriate.

Step 2: Identify the sentence with the error.

Sentence 4 contains the pronoun usage error. The audience is acting as individuals, so "their" should be used instead of "its."

Final Answer

The sentence with a pronoun usage error is: The audience left its seats after curtain call.

Highlights

• Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on the context. If the members of the group are acting individually, use a plural pronoun. If the group is acting as a single unit, use a singular pronoun.
• Pronoun-antecedent agreement is essential for clear and correct writing.

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