A medical professional is reviewing a patient's medical history. The entry states: 'The patient has a history of chronic pain, and their physical activity is limited.' Which of the following correctly identifies and corrects the misused word in the entry?
- AIdentifies 'limited' as incorrect; corrects to 'limit'.
- BIdentifies 'chronic' as incorrect; corrects to 'chronicle'.
- CIdentifies 'their' as incorrect; corrects to 'there'.
- DIdentifies 'their' as incorrect; corrects to 'his' or 'her'.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Identifies 'their' as incorrect; corrects to 'his' or 'her'.
The word 'their' is a possessive pronoun that refers to a plural noun or is used as a gender-neutral singular pronoun when the gender is unknown or irrelevant. However, in this case, 'The patient' is singular. While 'their' can sometimes be used as a singular pronoun, in formal medical documentation, it's generally preferred to use 'his' or 'her' for a singular patient, or to rephrase to avoid ambiguity, especially if the patient's gender is known. The current use of 'their' is grammatically acceptable in informal contexts for a singular antecedent, but often considered less precise in formal writing, making 'his' or 'her' a more appropriate correction in a formal medical context to maintain singular agreement with 'The patient'.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 'Limited' is correctly used as a past participle adjective modifying 'activity'.
- B. 'Chronic' is correctly used to mean persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.
- C. 'There' refers to a place; 'their' is a possessive pronoun, which is the intended function, but the number is questionable for 'the patient'.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns must agree in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine/neuter) with the noun or pronoun they refer to (their antecedent).
- Singular antecedents require singular pronouns (e.g., 'The patient received his/her medication.').
- Plural antecedents require plural pronouns (e.g., 'The patients received their medication.').
- Using 'they/their' as a singular, gender-neutral pronoun is becoming widely accepted, but formal contexts often prefer strict agreement or rephrasing.
Memory trick: Pronouns and Antecedents Must Match