Question

when a pronoun does not agree in number or person with an antecedent that appears earlier in the sentence, what kind of error occurs?

a pronoun case error
a pronoun shift error
a reciprocal pronoun error
a vague pronoun error

Explanation:

Define pronoun-antecedent agreement

Using the Pronoun Agreement knowledge point
A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number (singular/plural) and person (first, second, or third person).

Analyze the error type

When a pronoun fails to match its antecedent's number or person, it creates an inconsistent transition or "shift" in grammatical perspective. This mismatch is specifically classified as a pronoun shift error.

Evaluate the incorrect options

• A pronoun case error involves using the wrong subjective, objective, or possessive form (e.g., using "him" instead of "he").
• A reciprocal pronoun error involves misuse of pronouns like "each other" or "one another".
• A vague pronoun error occurs when a pronoun has no clear antecedent.

Answer:

• a pronoun case error
• a pronoun shift error (Correct answer)
• a reciprocal pronoun error
• a vague pronoun error