Pronoun Shifts for Grade 6: Keeping Number and Person Consistent (Grade 6 and Grade 7 English)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Pronouns like I, you, she and they stand in for nouns. Good writers keep them consistent. Today we will learn to spot and fix pronoun shifts in number and person.

Person tells who is speaking. First person is the speaker: I and we. Second person is the listener: you. Third person is someone else: he, she, it and they.

Number tells how many. Singular pronouns name one, like he, she and it. Plural pronouns name more than one, like we and they. A pronoun must match the number of the noun it replaces.

A shift in person happens when writing jumps from one person to another. When students study hard, you get better grades. Students is third person, so the pronoun should be they.

A shift in number happens when a singular noun gets a plural pronoun, or the other way around. Each player brought their own glove sounds natural, but some readers prefer his or her.

An easier fix is often to make the noun plural. The players brought their own gloves. Now the plural noun and the plural pronoun match, and the sentence is clear.

Now it's your turn. Find and fix the shift. If a person wants to succeed, you must practice daily. Pause and try. A person is third person singular, so write: he or she must practice, or change to people and they.

Great job! Keep pronouns consistent in person and number. Match each pronoun to the noun it replaces, and fix shifts by changing the pronoun or the noun. Practice pronoun number and person in the English Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!