Antecedent, an tuh SEE duhnt, is a word or group of words to which a pronoun refers in a sentence. An antecedent may come before or after the pronoun. In the sentence Venice is famous for its canals, the antecedent Venice comes before the pronoun its. In the sentence At her best, Jill was unbeatable, the antecedent Jill comes after the pronoun her.