Pronoun Reference Les Hanson 2002 Making Pronoun Reference

Making Pronoun Reference Clear Pronouns are used to replace nouns The words they replace

Make the pronoun refer to something Sometimes people imply a reference without specifically stating

Personal and Impersonal Pronouns Don’t refer to organizations as people. X Great West Life

Don’t refer to yourself as “you” Only use “you” to refer directly to the

Watch out for “it” and “there” It and there are expletives (filler words) There

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Pronoun Reference Les Hanson 2002

Making Pronoun Reference Clear Pronouns are used to replace nouns The words they replace are antecedents A sentence is unclear if the reader can’t identify the antecedent that the pronoun is replacing X Thelma told Louise that she was going to drive Who’s driving? üThelma told Louise to drive. X I put my lighter beside the balloon and it exploded üThe balloon exploded when I put my lighter beside it.

Make the pronoun refer to something Sometimes people imply a reference without specifically stating it X In Brochet they trap for furs in the winter. Who does “they” refer to? üPeople in Brochet trap for furs in the winter. or üPeople in Brochet live close to the land. They trap for furs in the winter. XIn the text it states that “alot” is not a word. What does “it” refer to? üThe text states that “alot” is not a word.

Personal and Impersonal Pronouns Don’t refer to organizations as people. X Great West Life is based in Winnipeg. They sell insurance. üGreat West Life is based in Winnipeg. It sells insurance. X MTS should change their policy on Internet security. üMTS should change its policy on Internet security. Use personal pronouns with people. X Sally bought milk from the man that owns the store. üSally bought milk from the man who owns the store.

Don’t refer to yourself as “you” Only use “you” to refer directly to the reader X The boss often yells at me. When he does that, you want to rip his lungs out. üThe boss often yells at me. When he does that, I want to rip his lungs out. X I like skiing because it gets you out in the winter. üI like skiing because it gets me out in the winter. X In Indonesia, you can find people of every faith. üI saw people of every faith in Indonesia. üPeople of every faith live in Indonesia.

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