Why the word 'them' in Stephanie's car sentence matters for pronoun references

Pronouns are tiny words with big jobs. They stand in for nouns, keep sentences from sounding repetitive, and—when they’re off—make readers do a mental double take. You’ve seen it in everyday writing: a sentence that starts talking about a person or a thing, then slips to a different number or a different reference. The result is clutter, not clarity. Let’s unpack a simple, telling example from a sentence about Stephanie’s car and see how one small word can change the whole sense.

The example: a little grammar puzzle in plain sight

Imagine a sentence that mentions Stephanie’s car and then uses a pronoun that doesn’t quite fit. The options might look like this:

• A. Car

• B. Her

• C. Forgot

• D. Them

If you’re reading quickly, the question might feel like punctuation trivia. But here’s the core idea: pronouns need to agree with the noun they replace. In this case, “Stephanie’s car” is a singular noun phrase. The pronoun that refers to it should be singular too. If you see “them,” which is plural, that creates a mismatch. The sentence becomes awkward, and the meaning gets hazy.

So, which word should be changed? The answer is D. Them. The interesting part isn’t just that “them” is plural—but that its use signals a singular antecedent was already established. The fix isn’t just swapping in a different pronoun; it’s choosing a singular pronoun that clearly matches the singular antecedent. In practice, replacing “them” with “it” is the natural correction. “Stephanie’s car” becomes its car? Wait—that sounds off in that exact phrasing. The better, more natural rewrite is to use the pronoun directly after the noun: “Stephanie forgot that it happened.” But if the pronoun is replacing the noun in a following clause, you’d typically say something like, “Stephanie forgot the car; it was parked outside.” Here the pronoun “it” refers to the singular noun “car.”

What this little exercise shows

• Number matters: singular antecedents demand singular pronouns (it, he, she, one).

• Plural antecedents demand plural pronouns (they/them, etc.).

• The smoothest sentences keep a steady, predictable trail from noun to pronoun, so readers aren’t left guessing what “it” or “they” is pointing to.

Let’s lay out the basics in a way that sticks

Think of pronouns as stand-ins in a game of tag. The tagger (the pronoun) has to be clearly linked to the person or thing it’s tagging (the antecedent). If the tagger and the tagged person don’t line up, the game gets awkward fast.

Here are some clean rules that save you from those sticky moments:

• Singular antecedent, singular pronoun: car → it; Stephanie’s car → it

• Plural antecedent, plural pronoun: cars → they/them

• For people when you know the gender, you can use he/she/they. If you’re not sure or you want to be neutral, they is a solid default for groups or unknown individuals

• Collective nouns can blur the line. “The team has its win” feels tight; “The team have their win” can be correct in some styles, depending on whether you treat the team as a unit or as individuals

A few quick, practical examples to illustrate

• The cat licked its paw. Here, cat is singular; its replaces cat neatly.

• The students forgot their books. Students is plural; their matches.

• The committee has decided its course. Committee is a collective noun treated as a unit; its course keeps the reference tight.

• The committee have decided their courses. If you want to emphasize the individuals on the committee, this might be acceptable in some contexts.

Why this matters beyond grammar pedantry

Clarity wins readers’ trust. When a sentence behaves consistently, your writing flows. Yanking pronouns around creates tiny friction—readers pause, re-read, and the momentum of your argument slows. In longer pieces—essays, articles, reports—that friction compounds. You want readers to glide through your ideas, not stumble over a pronoun mismatch.

If you’re working on a piece that contains people, objects, and actions in close proximity, pronoun agreement is your first bug-spray against confusion. In the context of the PACT writing expectations—where precision and clear communication count—getting pronoun-antecedent agreement right helps your readers grasp your point quickly and accurately. It’s a small detail with a big payoff: readability, credibility, and a smoother rhythm to your sentences.

A few practical tips to sharpen your eye

Let me explain a quick, repeatable approach you can use when you edit:

• Read the sentence aloud. If you sound a hint of doubt where a pronoun appears, try replacing it with the noun’s name. Does it still feel natural? If not, adjust.

• Trace it back. Identify the nearest noun that the pronoun could be replacing. If there’s more than one possible antecedent, rephrase to avoid ambiguity.

• Make it explicit if needed. If a sentence contains more than one singular noun, consider repeating the noun or switching to a widely accepted pronoun like it to reduce confusion.

• Favor simplicity. Short, clear sentences reduce the odds of mis-matching pronouns.

• When in doubt, restate. If the pronoun’s reference is too far removed from the noun, a fresh clause or a quick noun repetition often clarifies things.

A small practice set you can run on your own

• The mailbox was empty, but it contained a note. What should replace the pronoun in the second clause: its or their? If you’re thinking “its,” you’re on the right track because mailbox is singular.

• The players swapped uniforms and thanked the coach for their support. Should that “their” be “his,” “her,” or “their”? If the team is being treated as a unit, “its” or “the team’s” fits better; if you’re thinking of individual players, “their” could work.

• The car wouldn’t start, so the driver checked the battery. Is the pronoun “its” or “their” most natural to refer to the car? It should be “its battery,” since car is singular.

A few common traps to watch out for

• Jumping from singular to plural and back again in the same paragraph. This is a classic culprit that disrupts flow.

• Using a pronoun that could refer to more than one possible antecedent. When two nouns of the same number appear in the same sentence, ambiguity can creep in fast.

• Treating every noun as a person. Objects, ideas, and non-human nouns often take the neutral “it,” unless you’re discussing gendered terms or specific contexts.

A note on tone and style

When you’re communicating in an ordinary editorial voice, pronoun accuracy often translates to trustworthiness. In more formal or technical writing, you might see stricter adherence to singular/plural alignment, especially in data-heavy sections or when the audience expects crisp, unambiguous phrasing. In more conversational pieces, you can lean on natural pronoun use while still keeping things tidy. The goal is to maintain a rhythm readers can ride without overthinking every sentence.

Putting it all together

That small word—him, her, it, they—has power. It helps your sentences roll along, or it trips them up. The Stephanie’s car example is a neat reminder: a singular antecedent deserves a singular pronoun. When the question asked which word should be changed, the answer pointed to the word that signals the mismatch. The fix isn’t just swapping letters; it’s restoring the natural agreement that makes a sentence feel effortless to read.

If you take away one idea from this, let it be this: a careful ear for pronouns is a quiet superpower for writers. It doesn’t require drama or fancy jargon. It just needs a moment of pause, a quick check of number, and a willingness to rewrite for clarity. In the end, readers thank you with comprehension, and that’s the goal, isn’t it?

Final thought: small adjustments, big clarity

A sentence that nods to its antecedents with clean agreement keeps momentum alive. It reduces the cognitive load on your reader and helps your ideas land exactly where you want them. So next time you spot a pronoun in a sentence about Stephanie’s car, ask yourself: does this pronoun match the noun in number? If not, a simple swap—like changing a plural “them” to a singular “it” or “its”—can make all the difference.

And yes, it’s the little choices that add up. A well-tuned pronoun kit is something you’ll reach for again and again, because clear writing isn’t a mystery; it’s a habit you cultivate one sentence at a time. If you keep this in your writer’s toolkit, you’ll notice the flow of your pieces becoming more natural, more confident—and easier to read. That, after all, is what good writing is all about.