Pronoun Reference
Making Pronoun Reference Clear
• Pronouns are used to replace nouns
• The words they replace are antecedents
A sentence is unclear if the reader can’t identify the antecedent that the pronoun is replacing
X Thelma told Louise that she was going to drive
• Who’s driving?
ü Thelma told Louise to drive.
X I put my lighter beside the balloon and it exploded
ü The balloon exploded when I put my lighter beside it.
Make the pronoun refer to something
• Sometimes people imply a reference without specifically stating it
X In Brochet they trap for furs in the winter.
• Who does “they” refer to?
ü People in Brochet trap for furs in the winter.
or
ü People in Brochet live close to the land. They trap for furs in the winter.
X In the dictionary it states that “alot” is not a word.
• What does “it” refer to?
ü The dictionary states that “alot” is not a word.
Don’t refer to yourself as “you”
• Only use “you” to refer directly to the reader
X The boss often yells at me. When he does that, you want to rip his lungs out.
ü The boss often yells at me. When he does that, I want to rip his lungs out.
X I like skiing because it gets you out in the winter.
ü I like skiing because it gets me out in the winter.
X In Indonesia, you can find people of every faith.
ü I saw people of every faith in Indonesia.
ü People of every faith live in Indonesia.
Watch out for “it” and “there”
• It and there are expletives (filler words)
• There is never the subject of the sentence
• Look elsewhere to find the subject
ü There are squirrels in your garage.
ü (Subject is squirrels)
ü There is a good deli on the corner.
ü (Subject is deli)
• It is always singular
ü It was Homer who put glue on your chair
ü It was Bart and Lisa who put soap in the toilet