Pronoun Reference

Overview

Clear pronoun reference ensures your reader knows exactly what each pronoun refers to. Ambiguous, vague, or missing antecedents create confusion and weaken your writing.

The Golden Rule

Every pronoun must have a clear, unambiguous antecedent that appears before it in the text.

Types of Reference Problems

1. Ambiguous Reference

When a pronoun could refer to multiple nouns.

Problem Examples:

• “Sarah told Emma that she needed to study more”
  • Who needs to study? Sarah or Emma?
• “When the mayor met with the reporter, he seemed nervous”
  • Who was nervous? The mayor or the reporter?
• “The dog chased the cat until it got tired”
  • Which animal got tired?

Solutions:

• “Sarah told Emma that Emma needed to study more”
• “When the mayor met with the reporter, the mayor seemed nervous”
• “The dog chased the cat until the dog got tired”

2. Vague Reference with “This,” “That,” “It,” “Which”

When these pronouns refer to entire ideas rather than specific nouns.

Problem Examples:

• “I failed the test, lost my homework, and forgot my lunch. This ruined my day”
  • What exactly ruined the day?
• “The company is expanding rapidly, which is concerning”
  • What specifically is concerning?
• “Students were texting during the lecture. It was distracting”
  • What was distracting?

Solutions:

• “I failed the test, lost my homework, and forgot my lunch. These problems ruined my day”
• “The company is expanding rapidly, and this rapid growth is concerning”
• “Students were texting during the lecture. This behavior was distracting”

3. Missing Antecedent

When there’s no clear noun for the pronoun to refer to.

Problem Examples:

• “In the article, it says that recycling helps the environment”
  • What does “it” refer to?
• “They say it’s going to rain tomorrow”
  • Who are “they”?
• “At the restaurant, they served excellent food”
  • Who served the food?

Solutions:

• “The article says that recycling helps the environment”
• “Weather forecasters say it’s going to rain tomorrow”
• “At the restaurant, the servers provided excellent food”

4. Remote Reference

When the pronoun is too far from its antecedent.

Problem Example: “John decided to study engineering in college. He had always been interested in mathematics and science. His parents supported his decision. After graduation, he planned to work for a technology company. It seemed like the perfect career path.” (“It” is too far from its antecedent)

Solution: “John decided to study engineering in college. He had always been interested in mathematics and science. His parents supported his decision. After graduation, he planned to work for a technology company. Engineering seemed like the perfect career path.”

Specific Pronoun Guidelines

”This” and “That”

Avoid using alone to refer to ideas:

• Wrong: “The weather was terrible, and the traffic was heavy. This made me late.”
• Right: “The weather was terrible, and the traffic was heavy. This combination made me late."

"It”

Must have a clear, singular antecedent:

• Wrong: “The books were on the shelf, but it was dusty.”
• Right: “The books were on the shelf, but the shelf was dusty."

"Which”

Should clearly refer to the immediately preceding noun:

• Unclear: “She gave me a book about gardening, which I found boring.”
  • (The book or gardening?)
• Clear: “She gave me a book about gardening, and I found the book boring."

"They”

Must have a clear plural antecedent:

• Wrong: “At the hospital, they told me to wait.”
• Right: “At the hospital, the nurses told me to wait.”

Strategies for Clear Reference

1. Repeat the Noun

When in doubt, repeat the noun instead of using a pronoun:

• Instead of: “The manager spoke to the employee, and he was upset.”
• Use: “The manager spoke to the employee, and the manager was upset.”

2. Restructure the Sentence

Change the sentence structure to avoid ambiguity:

• Instead of: “When Tom called Bill, he was worried.”
• Use: “Tom was worried when he called Bill.”

3. Use Specific Nouns

Replace vague pronouns with specific nouns:

• Instead of: “This is important.”
• Use: “This requirement is important.”

4. Keep Pronouns Close

Place pronouns as close as possible to their antecedents.

Common Patterns to Avoid

1. Implied Antecedents

• Wrong: “In Shakespeare’s plays, he often explores themes of love and betrayal.”
• Right: “In his plays, Shakespeare often explores themes of love and betrayal.”

2. Broad Reference

• Wrong: “The students were noisy, the teacher was unprepared, and the room was too hot. This affected learning.”
• Right: “The students were noisy, the teacher was unprepared, and the room was too hot. These conditions affected learning.”

3. Indefinite “You”

• Wrong: “In medieval times, you had to worry about plague.”
• Right: “In medieval times, people had to worry about plague.”

Practice Exercises

Identify and fix the reference problems:

1. “The coach talked to the player, and he seemed confident.”
2. “I studied hard but still failed the exam. This upset me.”
3. “In the manual, it explains how to operate the machine.”
4. “The cars were speeding down the highway. They should be more careful.”

Possible Solutions:

1. “The coach talked to the player, and the coach seemed confident.”
2. “I studied hard but still failed the exam. This failure upset me.”
3. “The manual explains how to operate the machine.”
4. “The cars were speeding down the highway. The drivers should be more careful.”

Key Takeaways

• Every pronoun needs a clear, specific antecedent
• Avoid ambiguous references where multiple nouns could be the antecedent
• Don’t use “this,” “that,” “it,” or “which” to refer to entire ideas
• Ensure antecedents are present in the text, not just implied
• Keep pronouns close to their antecedents
• When in doubt, repeat the noun for clarity