Lesson 6: Pronoun Reference

First of all, pronouns take the place of nouns. The nouns that pronouns refer to are antecedents. Ante means before; therefore, the antecedent should come before the pronoun.

The only pronouns that do not have antecedents are the indefinite pronouns, such as everyone, everybody, one, some, many, anyone, and so on.

Example: The World Wide Web has opened doors to information for many people; however, it has
also created problems with questionable web site access.

The antecedent and pronoun are underlined.

Your textbook chapter on pronoun reference should be read at this point. However, in this lesson, I will deal with the more common student errors that I encounter with pronoun reference.

Problem 1: Vague You

In our conversation, we commonly use you to refer to the person that we are speaking to. Sometimes we even use you to refer to a group of people that we do not name. These situations can occur in conversation but not in formal writing. Use you only to refer to a person that is being addressed, such as in a letter. You can also be used in cases of written instructions. To give instructions, a writer must use the imperative form which involves you.

Example of error: You never know when lightening will strike.

Correct the error by replacing you.

Examples of revision: One never knows when lightening will strike.
A person never knows when lightening will strike.

Problem 2: Vague Use of This, That, Which and It

Students, along with other writers, get in the habit of beginning sentences with this, that, or it. The problem besides repetitive beginnings for sentence is that these words must refer to specific nouns in the previous sentence. Also, the real problem occurs when readers feel that a writer's ideas are vague. This situation occurred with a former student on a history paper. The paper was given a poor grade because of vague thinking; in fact, the problem was the use of too many vague pronouns.

Example of vague pronoun: According to the linguistic school currently on top, human beings are all born with a genetic endowment for recognizing and formulating language. This must mean that we possess genes for all kinds of information, with strands of special, peculiarly human DNA for the discernment of meaning in syntax. --Lewis Thomas, Lives of a Cell.

The underlined pronoun seems to refer to the entire first sentence. The only problem is that a pronoun can not refer to a whole sentence.

How to find the error:

Go through the writing looking for subjects that are this , that, which and it.
Many times this error occurs at the beginning of an independent clause or dependent clause. Change the subject to a noun.

Revised example: This current theory must mean that we possess genes for all kinds of information, with strands of special, peculiarly human DNA for the discernment of meaning in syntax.

It presents a different issue. It can be an expletive or a pronoun. Expletives are words used to delay the subject until later in the sentence. However, do not use it in the same sentence as an expletive and as a pronoun.

Example of error: In the essay, it says that students are normally hard workers.

Correction: The author of the essay says that students are normally hard workers.

Problem 3: Consistent Use of That, Which, and Who

That is a relative pronoun used to introduce restrictive elements.

Which is a relative pronoun used to introduce nonrestrictive elements.

Who is use to refer to people; which is used to refer to inanimate objects.

Examples: Stephen Jay Gould, who has won many awards for his writing about science, teaches at
Harvard.

The whale, which has only one baby a year, is subject to extinction because it reproduces
so slowly.

Laboratories that harm animals have become controversial.

Problem 4: Agreement in Number of Pronoun and Antecedent

This problem will be covered more in depth in Lesson 8. However, on this lesson's quiz, there will be problems with pronouns and their antecedents not agreeing in number.

Example: The bird was sitting on their nest.

Obviously the problem is that bird is singular, and, therefore, their should be changed to its.