Five Rules For Pronoun Clarity

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Five Rules For Pronoun Clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

The antecedent of each pronoun must be
unambiguous. Look what happens when it isnt!

• The ladies of the church have cast off clothing
  of every kind, and they can be seen in the church
  basement on Friday afternoon.
• For those of you who have children and dont know
  it, we have a nursery downstairs.
• The scenery is stunning swim in our pool while
  you drink it all in.

pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

The antecedent of each pronoun must be
unambiguous.
Wendy asked Carla to meet her at 900, but she
arrived late.
NO
Wendy asked Carla to meet her at 900, but Carla
arrived late.
YES
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Keep the pronoun close to its antecedent.
Arriving at the marketplace, Antonio looked
around. The stalls were filled with an amazing
assortment of colourful wares, and the street was
filled with hurrying people, tired, dusty
animals, and a profusion of pungent smells.
Vendors, newly arrived, were jostling for a place
among the vast, thronging crowd. He looked
around for a few moments in indecision and then
headed off in the direction he imagined to be
east.
NO
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Beware of implied reference. A pronoun can
refer only to words which are actually used.
NO
The adventurers discovery brought him renown.
Discovery and renown are the only available
nouns, neither of which him modifies.
Him modifies the word adventurer, which is not in
the sentence.
The possessive form adventurers requires a
possessive pronoun, such as his.
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

To fix the problem, rewrite the sentence.
The adventurers discovery brought him renown.
NO
The adventurers discovery was the source of his
renown.
YES
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Another example . . .
Reggie likes to study historical records. That
is his major.
NO
That refers to to study historical records,
which is not the name of an academic major.
Reggie likes studying historical records hes a
history major.
YES
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Avoid vague reference.
Comets typically fly by the earth at 150,000 kph,
whereas asteroids sometimes collide with the
earth. This interests scientists.
NO

• Unclear what interests scientists?
• The speed of the comets?
• Comets flying by the earth?
• Asteroids colliding with the earth?

pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Avoid vague reference.
Never begin a sentence using this as a noun.
Think of it as an article (like the) it requires
a noun after it.
HELPFUL HINT
Comets typically fly by the earth at 150,000 kph,
whereas asteroids sometimes collide with the
earth. This difference interests scientists.
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Another example . . .
Homer had neglected the problem for years, which
explains why Marge was angry.
NO
Structurally, which refers to years (to the
closest antecedent).
Homer had neglected the problem for years, a fact
which explains why Marge was angry.
YES
pronoun clarity
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• Rule 1
• Rule 2
• Rule 3
• Rule 4
• Rule 5

Avoid reference to unspecified persons.
They say that time is money. It says in the book
that time is money.
NO
People say that time is money. The book says that
time is money.
YES
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Pronouns Case Rules
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SUBJECTIVE
I we you he she it they
We dropped his backpack down to him.
pronouns case rules
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To test for the correct pronoun in compound
constructions, drop all of the compound elements
except for the pronoun in question.
HELPFUL HINT
PROBLEM
Him and me chose chocolate.
Drop test
He and I chose chocolate.
pronouns case rules
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Practice with the drop rule
The trick fooled him and I.
The trick fooled him and me.
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Practice with the drop rule
The winners, she and me, claimed our prize.
The winners, she and I, claimed our prize.
pronouns case rules
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Practice with the drop rule
Alicia and me gave them directions.
Alicia and I gave them directions.
pronouns case rules
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Practice with the drop rule
Come with him and me to the store.
Come with him and me to the store.
pronouns case rules
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Practice with the drop rule
Him and her are arguing again.
He and she are arguing again.
pronouns case rules
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Practice with the drop rule
They contacted two candidates, him and I.
They contacted two candidates, him and me.
pronouns case rules
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Pronouns with Linking Verbs
Remember that a linking verb functions like an
equal sign both the words before and after the
verb are in the subjective case.
Linking verbs include looks, seems, and are.
pronouns case rules
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Pronouns with Linking Verbs
If the resulting sentence sounds too stiff,
rewrite it
I was the person who called.
pronouns case rules
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Pronouns with than or as
Sentences of comparison often omit words, usually
verbs. The two sentences below have very
different meanings the difference hinges on the
pronoun.
My sister loved that dog more than me.
My sister loved that dog more than I.
HELPFUL HINT
To check to see if your pronoun is correct, fill
in the missing words.
pronouns case rules
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Nouns and Pronouns with Gerunds
A gerund is always modified by a POSSESSIVE
pronoun.
I heard him singing from across the hall.
NO
I heard his singing from across the hall.
YES
I love her cooking.
pronouns case rules
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Reflexive Pronouns
A reflective pronoun (one ending in -self) can
only refer to the STATED subject of the sentence.
DEFINITION
I asked myself, what was I thinking? He invited
himself along. We smiled smugly to ourselves.
pronouns case rules
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Reflexive Pronouns
Which of the following are correct?
The doctor and myself had a long talk.
The doctor and I had a long talk.
We told ourselves it wasnt our fault.
correct!
She asked Zeke and myself to come.
She asked Zeke and me to come.
pronouns case rules
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Using who and whom
SUBJECTIVE
who, whoever
(use like he)
OBJECTIVE
whom, whomever
(use like him)
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Using who and whom
HOW TO CHOOSE
1. Drop everything in the sentence prior to or
after the pronoun in question.
I wondered (who, whom) would vote.
///////////
I wondered (who, whom) to ask.
///////////
They can ask (whoever, whomever) they wish.
/////////
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Using who and whom
1. Drop everything in the sentence prior to or
after the pronoun in question. 2. Test with
personal pronouns to determine the correct case.
HOW TO CHOOSE
I wondered (who, whom) would vote.
///////////
He would vote?
XX
Him would vote?
I wondered who would vote.
pronouns case rules
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Using who and whom
1. Drop everything in the sentence prior to or
after the pronoun in question. 2. Test with
personal pronouns to determine the correct case.
HOW TO CHOOSE
I wondered (who, whom) to ask.
///////////
He to ask?
Him to ask?
Neither one sounds rightbut theres a special
rule for infinitivesthey take the objective case.
I wondered whom to ask.
pronouns case rules
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Using who and whom
1. Drop everything in the sentence prior to or
after the pronoun in question. 2. Test with
personal pronouns to determine the correct case.
HOW TO CHOOSE
The can ask (whoever, whomever) they wish.
/////////
X
They can ask he?
They can ask him?
They can ask whomever they wish.
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Using who and whom in questions
THE RULE

• use who when the question is about the subject
• use whom when the question is about the object

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Using who and whom in questions
1. Turn the question into a statement.
HOW TO CHOOSE
2. Test with personal pronouns.
(Who, whom) saw the final episode?
We saw the final episode.
Who saw the final episode?
Edith is in love with (who, whom)?
Edith is in love with him.
Edith is in love with whom?
pronouns case rules