Making pronouns agree in number with their antecedents is a tricky business. The following sentence has an agreement problem because the word writer is singular and their is plural:
A good writer knows how to punctuate their sentences.
Here are three fixes, from least to most favored:
1. Use his or her to agree with writer:
A good writer knows how to punctuate his or her sentences.
2. Make the noun plural to agree with the plural pronoun:
Good writers know how to punctuate their sentences.
3. Best of all, delete the pronoun in the name of conciseness:
A good writer knows how to punctuate.
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Notes on effective writing at work, school, and home by Philip Vassallo, Ed.D.
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