Use Correct Pronoun Reference
The meaning of a pronoun comes from its antecedent, the noun or pronoun to which it refers. Your speech and writing will be confusing if your pronoun reference is unclear.
Carelessly placed pronouns can create unintentionally funny sentences as well as confusing ones. Consider the difference between what the writer thinks he or she said and what is really being said in the following sentences:
Last week, a wart appeared on my right thumb, and I want it removed.
(Are you removing the wart or the thumb?)
Guilt and unkindness can be emotionally destructive to you and your friends. You must get rid of them. (Are you getting rid of the guilt or your friends?)
There are three ways to prevent pronoun confusion.
1. A pronoun must clearly refer to a single antecedent.
2. Place pronouns close to their antecedents.
3. Make a pronoun refer to a definite antecedent.
Let’s look at each guideline in detail.
1. A pronoun must clearly refer to a single antecedent. A common writing and speech problem occurs when the same pronoun refers to more than one antecedent. For instance, in the last example in the previous section, them can refer to guilt, unkindness, or your friends.
Remember that a pronoun replaces a noun. To make sure that your writing and speech are clear, always use the noun first before you use the pronoun. Clarify the sentence by replacing the unclear pronouns with nouns. That way, all the remaining pronouns will clearly refer to a single antecedent.
Guilt and unkindness can be emotionally destructive to you and your friends. You
must get rid of them. Here are two ways you could rewrite this sentence:
Guilt and unkindness can be emotionally destructive to you and your friends. You
must get rid of these issues.
Guilt and unkindness can be emotionally destructive to you and your friends. You
must get rid of these destructive emotions.
2. Place pronouns close to their antecedents. If too many phrases come between a pronoun and its antecedent, the sentence can be difficult to read and understand. This can happen even if the intervening material is logically related to the rest of the sentence. Consider the following sentence:
After meeting a few guests, the President entered the reception. At that point, Senator Chin and the other elected officials began to pose for pictures. Even so, he did not join them. In this sentence he is too far away from its antecedent, the President. One solution is to replace he with the President. The other solution is to rewrite the sentences to move the pronoun closer.
After meeting a few guests, the President entered the reception. At that point, Senator Chin and the other elected officials began to pose for pictures. Even so, the President did not join them. After meeting a few guests, the President entered the reception. He did not join Senator Chin and the other elected officials, even though they began to pose for pictures.
Quick Tip
When you start a new paragraph, repeat the noun from the previous paragraph
rather than using a pronoun in its place. Repeating the noun (usually a name) can help
your reader more easily follow your logic.
your reader more easily follow your logic.
3. Make a pronoun refer to a definite antecedent. Be sure all pronouns refer to only one antecedent. The pronouns it, this, that, and which are especially prone to unclear pronoun reference. Consider the following sentence:
I told my friends that I was going to be a rock star, which annoyed my mother.
The following form is better because it is less ambiguous:
My mother was annoyed because I told my friends that I was going to be a rock star.
