Question

Choose whether true or false:
The below mentioned sentence is grammatically correct –
When we speak about a plural antecedent, two nouns joined by the word ‘and’ (a man and an animal or object, or two objects), before the relative pronoun, we should use ‘that’ not ‘which’.
A) True
B) False

Answer 1

Hint: A relative pronoun is a pronoun that marks a relative clause. The noun to which a relative pronoun relates or refers is called its antecedent.

Complete answer:
A relative pronoun is a word that introduces a dependent (or relative) clause and connects it to an independent clause. A plural antecedent is formed when two or more singular noun antecedents are joined by ‘and’.

Let us loo into the given options:
Option A) True: The above option is correct as the given statement in the question is correct as when two nouns are joined using ‘and’, it reforms as a plural antecedent and the relative pronoun that follows next will be ‘that’, as opposed to ‘which’.

Option B) False: As the given statement is correct, the above option is wrong. The example that proves the given statement is correct. The woman and the baby that met with a serious situation in the labour room are now safe.

Therefore the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: The rules while using plural antecedents and relative pronouns are:
- The pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number, that is, a singular pronoun must replace a singular noun; a plural pronoun must replace a plural noun.
- Although some indefinite pronouns have plural meanings, they should be treated as grammatically singular.
- Generic nouns should be treated as singular even though they might have a plural meaning. Be careful when you use ‘a’ or ‘any’, ‘every’, or ‘each’.
- Collective nouns should be treated as singular unless the meaning is clearly plural.
- Most compound antecedents connected by and should be treated as plural.
- When a compound antecedent is joined by or or nor (or by either...or or neither...nor), the pronoun must agree with the nearer antecedent.