Chapter 28 Chapter TwentyEight Pronoun Agreement and Reference

Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty-Eight Pronoun Agreement and Reference English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Pronouns • Writers often use pronouns to take the place of nouns. • If you do this, you must be certain that each pronoun agrees with the noun it refers to. • Example: – The photographs meant a great deal to him because they belonged to his grandmother. – [They takes the place of photographs, photographs which is third person plural. ] English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Pronoun Agreement Pronouns and the words they replace must agree in person and number. Error in Person: If a person wants to become a portrait photographer, you must have the proper equipment for lighting. Revised: If a person wants to become a photographer, he must have the proper equipment for lighting. English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Pronoun Agreement Pronouns and the words they replace must agree in person and number. Error in Number: When a student videotapes a sporting event, they often miss some of the action. Revised: When a student videotapes a sporting event, he often misses some of the action. English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Gender-Appropriate Pronouns • To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generic he. 1 -Use masculine and feminine pronouns together. Example: The person who planned this exhibit knew what he or she was doing. 2 -Revise the sentence by using the plural. Example: The people who planned this exhibit knew what they were doing. 3 -Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun. 3 Example: The people who planned this exhibit did an excellent job. English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Indefinite Pronouns An indefinite pronoun such as everybody or something is usually singular. Anyone who has developed his own film must be familiar with dark rooms. Each of the photographers bought his or her camera. English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Pronoun Reference • If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear. – Example: • Mark told Todd that he needed to buy film. • Did Mark or Todd need to buy film? English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Pronoun Reference • If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear. – Example: • The editor told the staff members not to mail the photographs because they were too important. • What does they refer too? English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • Anyone can be • Revision: successful in school if – Anyone can be successful in school if they make the right she makes the right choices. ect Incorr English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e choices. Or – Students can be successful in school if they make the right choices. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • When students do not understand what they read, they should note their questions and find answers. ect r r o C English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • Students should • The pronoun “your” realize that education does not refer to supports your long students. term goals. • Revision: ect r r o Inc English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e – Students should realize that education supports their long term goals. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 Libraries are important for students because they provide information. ct e r r Inco Does THEY refer to students or libraries? English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and you should review these notes within 24 hours. ect r r o Inc English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e • Incorrect: – The subject shifts to you when the subject was students. • Revision: – Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and they should review these notes within 24 hours. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of their own life. t c e r r Inco English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e • Incorrect: – Each is singular. • Revision: – Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of her own life. Or… – Individuals must take responsibility for the quality of their own lives. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 When students join clubs and organizations, they increase their chances of staying in school. Correct English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • The most important thing a student can do is to organize your time. ct e r r Inco English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e • Incorrect: – Students is plural. • Revision: – The most important thing that students can do is to organize their time. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chapter 28 • Jamie dropped the heavy camera on her foot and broke it. • Incorrect: – Did the camera break or did her foot? • Revision: Incorrect English Skills, 10 e English Skills with Readings, 8 e – The camera broke when Jamie dropped it on her foot. © 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.