Antecedent

The noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces is called its antecedent. In other words, the antecedent is the word or group of words that the pronoun refers back to in the sentence. Let's break down the answer and explain it in detail:

Understanding Pronouns
Before we dive into the concept of antecedents, let's first understand what pronouns are. Pronouns are words that are used to replace nouns in a sentence. They allow us to avoid repeating the same noun multiple times, which helps to make our sentences more concise and clear. For example, instead of saying "John went to the store. John bought some bread. John paid for the groceries," we can use pronouns to say "John went to the store. He bought some bread. He paid for the groceries."

What is an Antecedent?
Now that we understand pronouns, let's define what an antecedent is. An antecedent is the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces. It is the word or group of words that the pronoun refers back to in the sentence. Without an antecedent, the pronoun would lack clarity and it would be difficult to understand what or who the pronoun is referring to.

Example
Here's an example to illustrate the concept of an antecedent:

Sentence: "Mary went to the park, and she played on the swings."

In this sentence, the pronoun "she" is replacing the noun "Mary." Therefore, "Mary" is the antecedent of the pronoun "she." The use of the pronoun allows us to avoid repeating the noun "Mary" in the sentence, making it more concise.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the noun or noun phrase that a pronoun replaces is called its antecedent. Understanding antecedents is important in order to correctly interpret the meaning of pronouns in a sentence. By identifying the antecedent, we can determine the referent of the pronoun and ensure clarity in our writing.