Pronoun Reference

1
Pronoun Reference
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Making Pronoun Reference Clear

• Pronouns are used to replace nouns
• The words they replace are antecedents
• A sentence is unclear if the reader cant
  identify the antecedent that the pronoun is
  replacing
• Thelma told Louise that she was going to drive
• Whos driving?
• Thelma told Louise to drive.
• I put my lighter beside the balloon and it
  exploded
• The balloon exploded when I put my lighter beside
  it.

3
Make the pronoun refer to something

• Sometimes people imply a reference without
  specifically stating it
• In Brochet they trap for furs in the winter.
• Who does they refer to?
• People in Brochet trap for furs in the winter.
• or
• People in Brochet live close to the land. They
  trap for furs in the winter.
• In the text it states that alot is not a word.
• What does it refer to?
• The text states that alot is not a word.

4
Personal and Impersonal Pronouns

• Dont refer to organizations as people.
• Great West Life is based in Winnipeg. They sell
  insurance.
• Great West Life is based in Winnipeg. It sells
  insurance.
• MTS should change their policy on Internet
  security.
• MTS should change its policy on Internet
  security.
• Use personal pronouns with people.
• Sally bought milk from the man that owns the
  store.
• Sally bought milk from the man who owns the
  store.

5
Dont refer to yourself as you

• Only use you to refer directly to the reader
• The boss often yells at me. When he does that,
  you want to rip his lungs out.
• The boss often yells at me. When he does that, I
  want to rip his lungs out.
• I like skiing because it gets you out in the
  winter.
• I like skiing because it gets me out in the
  winter.
• In Indonesia, you can find people of every faith.
• I saw people of every faith in Indonesia.
• People of every faith live in Indonesia.

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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
• There are squirrels in your garage.
• (Subject is squirrels)
• There is a good deli on the corner.
• (Subject is deli)
• It is always singular
• It was Homer who put glue on your chair
• It was Bart and Lisa who put soap in the toilet