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Can the pronoun it refer to plural as in the following sentence?

Secrets of Wealth and Provision and how to increase it.

Or should it be:

Secrets of Wealth and Provision and how to increase them.

I would myself use them rather than it, but I just want to make sure if it could sometimes refer to the plural.

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2 Answers 2

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It can have a plural antecedent when the antecedent, although ostensibly plural, is perceived as a unified entity. An example might be ‘I don’t like thunder and lightning. It frightens me.'

Kris is right in his comment below, and I have consequently deleted the second part of my answer.

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  • Sorry Barry, you may have missed a point there. The subject of the sentence is Wealth and Provision because increase applies to that phrase not to Secrets.
    – Kris
    Dec 17, 2012 at 10:02
  • @Kris. Yes, of course, quite right. Answer amended. Dec 17, 2012 at 10:20
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... increase it is correct.

Note the capitalization provided for clarity: Wealth and Provision is a term here referring to a single abstract entity.

This alludes to

"The greatest wealth and provision from heaven is the love of our Father manifest in Christ Jesus." [emphasis mine]
see: 2. Preparing for Troubled Times – Part II

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    It's arguable whether the making available and the appropriation should be considered as a single entity (see eg Heb 2:3); I'd prefer The provision God makes, the greatest wealth we can have, .... God's provision and what we may appropriate is a single entity. I'm not sure how we can increase God's provision (if the OP actually is quoting this source). Dec 17, 2012 at 11:12

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