Final answer:
In the sentence provided, the antecedent is 'baby whales,' and the pronoun is 'their,' with the pronoun referring to the earlier mentioned noun.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the sentence 'As the sharks chased the seals, the baby whales swam into their pods,' the antecedent and pronoun are 'baby whales' and 'their' respectively. An antecedent is a noun or noun phrase that a pronoun refers to, which usually appears earlier in the sentence or in a previous sentence, while the pronoun replaces this noun or noun phrase to avoid repetition and promote cohesion within a text.
The antecedent, 'baby whales,' is the noun which the pronoun 'their' is referring back to, indicating that it is the baby whales that are swimming into their own pods. Learning to correctly identify antecedents and pronouns is a key component of understanding sentence structure and meaning in English grammar, which is essential for effective communication and writing.