Pronoun References
What is pronoun reference?
Pronoun reference means "a pronoun must clearly refer to its antecedent". That is, when we use a pronoun, we must make it clear that the antecedent can easily be understood by seeing the pronoun.
Consider the following example:
John and Marry go to the park with their dogs. They love walking there.
In these incorrect sentences, it is unclear what "they" refers to. Does "they" refer to John and Marry, or their dogs? This lack of clarity creates a pronoun reference error.
To use correct pronoun reference, consider the following rules and guidelines:
1. Use clear antecedent: Avoid vague pronoun reference
The antecedent ( the noun or noun phrase that the pronoun refers to) should be clear and unambiguous. Make sure the antecedent can easily be understood by seeing the pronoun. Make sure that the pronoun you use do not create confusion or ambiguity.
Example:
- Incorrect: I saw a dog in the park, and it was running. (Unclear what "it" refers to.)
- Correct: I saw a dog in the park, and the dog was running.
2. Agreement in Number
When the antecedent is singular, use a singular pronoun. When the antecedent is plural, use a plural pronoun.
- Incorrect: Mary and Sarah went to the park. They were a nice place.
- Correct: Mary and Sarah went to the park. It was a nice place.
3. Agreement in Gender
Ensure that the pronoun agrees in gender with its antecedent.
Example:
- Incorrect: Lisa went to the movie, and he enjoyed the film.
- Correct: Lisa went to the movie, and she enjoyed the film.
4. Use specific nouns when needed
If the antecedent is unclear or there is potential for confusion, it's better to use specific nouns or noun phrases instead of pronouns.
Example:
- Incorrect: I went to the store, and it was crowded. (Unclear what "it" refers to.)
- Correct: I went to the store, and the store was crowded.
By following these rules and guidelines, you can ensure that your pronoun reference is clear, unambiguous, and effectively conveys the intended meaning in your communication.
Instructions: For each sentence, identify the pronoun reference error and rewrite the sentence to provide clear pronoun reference.
(1) Sarah and Jessica went to the library to study, but she forgot her notebook. Who forgot her notebook?
(2) Mark asked his friend to borrow a pen, but he said it was out of ink. Whose pen was out of ink?
(3) Lisa and her sister went shopping, but they couldn't find what she was looking for. Who couldn't find what she was looking for?
(4) The cat was chasing the mouse, but it escaped into a small hole. Which animal escaped into a small hole?
(5) James and John went to the party, and they met their friends. They were enjoying themselves.
(6) Emily gave her friend a gift, and she loved it. Who loved the gift?
(7) Tom and his brother went to the park, but he forgot to bring his ball. Who forgot to bring his ball?
(8) The team worked hard to meet their goals, but they faced many challenges along the way.
(9) Alex and Sam went to the store, and they bought some groceries. They were on sale.
(10) The manager discussed the new project with the team, but it was not well received.
(11) I went to the party with my friends, and we had a great time. They were all dancing.
(12) John and his brother went to the museum, and he found an interesting artifact.
(13) Sarah gave a gift to her friend, and she loved it.
(14) The cat knocked over a vase, and it broke into pieces.
(15) I met two girls at the party, and they told a funny joke. It was interesting.
(16) Mary and Jane went shopping, and they bought new dresses. They looked nice.
(17) Tom and his dog went for a walk, and it found a bone. It buried it in the ground.
(18) Alex and his sister baked cookies, and they tasted delicious.
(19) James asked Mike for a favor, but he said he couldn't help.
(20) Amy and her sister went to the club, and they built sandcastles.
(21) Lisa gave her friend a book, and she loved it.
(22) Jane and Marry went to the store and bought some groceries. They were on sale.
(23) The team practiced for hours, and they were exhausted.
(24) John saw his friend at the party, and he had a great time.
(25) The company announced a new policy, and it caused confusion.
(26) The dog chased the cat, and it ran away.
(27) Sarah and Lisa were playing in the park, and she found something interesting.
(28) The students were studying for the test, and they shared it with each other.
Answer: Unclear Pronoun Reference
Instructions: For each sentence, identify the pronoun reference error and rewrite the sentence to provide clear pronoun reference.
(1) Incorrect: Sarah and Jessica went to the library to study, but she forgot her notebook. Who forgot her notebook?
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "she."
Correct: Sarah and Jessica went to the library to study, but Sarah forgot her notebook.
(2) Incorrect: Mark asked his friend to borrow a pen, but he said it was out of ink.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "it."
Correct answer: Mark's friend
(3) Incorrect: Lisa and her sister went shopping, but they couldn't find what she was looking for. Who couldn't find what she was looking for?
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "she."
Correct answer: It is unclear who couldn't find what she was looking for.
(4) Incorrect: The cat was chasing the mouse, but it escaped into a small hole. Which animal escaped into a small hole?
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "it."
Correct answer: The mouse
(5) Incorrect: James and John went to the party, and they met their friends. They were enjoying themselves.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "they."
Correct answer: The friends
(6) Incorrect: Emily gave her friend a gift, and she loved it.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "she."
Correct answer: Emily's friend
(7) Incorrect: Tom and his brother went to the park, but he forgot to bring his ball. Who forgot to bring his ball?
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "he."
Correct answer: Tom
(8) Incorrect: The team worked hard to meet their goals, but they faced many challenges along the way.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "they."
Rewritten Sentence: The team worked hard to meet their goals, but they faced many challenges along the way.
(9) Incorrect: Alex and Sam went to the store, and they bought some groceries. They were on sale.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "They."
Rewritten Sentence: Alex and Sam went to the store and bought some groceries. The groceries were on sale.
(10) Incorrect: The manager discussed the new project with the team, but it was not well received.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "it."
Rewritten Sentence: The manager discussed the new project with the team, but the project was not well received.
(11) Incorrect: I went to the party with my friends, and we had a great time. They were all dancing.
Pronoun Reference Error: Unclear antecedent for the pronoun "They."
Rewritten Sentence: I went to the party with my friends, and we had a great time. My friends were all dancing.
(12) Incorrect: John and his brother went to the museum, and he found an interesting artifact.
Correct answer: John and his brother went to the museum, and John found an interesting artifact.
(13) Incorrect: Sarah gave a gift to her friend, and she loved it.
Correct answer: Sarah gave a gift to her friend, and her friend loved it.
(14) Incorrect: The cat knocked over a vase, and it broke into pieces.
Correct answer: The cat knocked over a vase, and the vase broke into pieces.
(15) Incorrect: I met two girls at the party, and they told a funny joke. It was interesting.
Correct answer: I met two girls at the party, and they told a funny joke. The joke was about a monkey.
(16) Incorrect: Mary and Jane went shopping, and they bought new dresses. They looked nice.
Correct answer: Mary and Jane went shopping and bought new dresses. The dresses looked nice.
(17) Incorrect: Tom and his dog went for a walk, and it found a bone. It buried it in the ground.
Correct answer: Tom and his dog went for a walk, and the dog found a bone. The dog buried the bone in the backyard.
(18) Incorrect: Alex and his sister baked cookies, and they tasted delicious.
Correct answer: Alex and his sister baked cookies, and the cookies tasted delicious.
(19) Incorrect: James asked Mike for a favor, but he said he couldn't help.
Correct answer: Mike
(20) Incorrect: Amy and her sister went to the club, and they built sandcastles.
Correct answer: Amy and her sister
(21) Incorrect: Lisa gave her friend a book, and she loved it.
Correct answer: Lisa's friend
(22) Incorrect: Jane and Marry went to the store and bought some groceries. They were on sale.
Correct answer: The groceries
(23) Incorrect: The team practiced for hours, and they were exhausted.Correct answer: The team members
(24) Incorrect: John saw his friend at the party, and he had a great time.
Correct answer: John
(25) Incorrect: The company announced a new policy, and it caused confusion.
Correct answer: The new policy
(26) Incorrect: The dog chased the cat, and it ran away.Correct answer: The cat
(27) Incorrect: Sarah and Lisa were playing in the park, and she found something interesting.
Correct answer: Sara
(28) Incorrect: The students were studying for the test, and they shared it with each other.
Correct answer: one another