Short Answer 
Reciprocal pronouns ‘each other’ and ‘one another’ indicate mutual actions or relationships between subjects. Maintaining pronoun-antecedent agreement and using the correct pronoun case are essential for clear communication to avoid confusion about the roles of the subjects in a sentence.
Step 1: Understanding Reciprocal Pronouns
The reciprocal pronouns, ‘each other’ and ‘one another’, are essential for expressing mutual actions or relationships among subjects. They indicate that two or more subjects are also the objects of an action in the sentence. For example, in the phrase ‘John and Mary love each other’, both John and Mary are subjects acting upon one another.
Step 2: Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
To use these pronouns correctly, it’s crucial to maintain pronoun-antecedent agreement, where the pronoun must agree with the nouns it refers to in number and gender. This agreement ensures that the action or relationship is clearly understood. Remember that:
- The antecedent for ‘each other’ is always two subjects.
- The antecedent for ‘one another’ can be more than two subjects.
- Incorrect agreement may lead to confusion about who is acting and who is receiving the action.
Step 3: Proper Pronoun Case Usage
It’s also vital to use the correct pronoun case in your sentences. This refers to the grammatical function of the pronoun‚ÄöAiwhether it is acting as a subject or an object. In the example ‘They help each other’, ‘they’ is the subject, while ‘each other’ serves as the object. Ensuring accurate pronoun case contributes to clear and effective communication.