English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

English EssentialsEnglish Essentials

John LanganJohn LanganBeth JohnsonBeth Johnson

Pronoun Problems

Chapter Eighteen

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2 Pronoun Problems

• Writers often use Writers often use pronouns to take the place of to take the place of nouns.nouns.

• If you do this, you must be certain that each If you do this, you must be certain that each pronoun agrees with the noun it refers to.pronoun agrees with the noun it refers to.

• Example:Example:– The photographs meant a great deal to him because

they belonged to his grandmother.– [Photographs is the[Photographs is the antecedent ofof they, which is third which is third

person plural.]person plural.]

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3 Pronoun Problems

Pronoun Reference

• If a pronoun does not refer to a specific If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear.word, it may be unclear.– Example:Example:•Mark told Todd that Mark told Todd that hehe needed to needed to

buy film.buy film.• Did Mark or Todd need to buy film? Did Mark or Todd need to buy film?

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

4 Pronoun Problems

• If a pronoun does not refer to a specific If a pronoun does not refer to a specific word, it may be unclear.word, it may be unclear.– Example:Example:• The editor told the staff members The editor told the staff members

not to mail the photographs because not to mail the photographs because they they were too important.were too important.

• What does What does they they refer too? refer too?

Pronoun Reference

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

5 Pronoun Problems

Pronouns and antecedents mustPronouns and antecedents mustagree inagree in person andperson and numbernumber..

Error in Person:Error in Person:If a person wants to become a portrait If a person wants to become a portrait photographer, photographer, youyou must have the proper must have the proper equipment for lighting.equipment for lighting.

Revised:Revised:If a person wants to If a person wants to

become a photographer,become a photographer,he or she he or she must have the must have the proper equipment forproper equipment for

lighting.lighting.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

6 Pronoun Problems

Pronouns and antecedents mustPronouns and antecedents mustagree inagree in person andperson and numbernumber..

Error in Number:Error in Number:When a student videotapes a sporting event,When a student videotapes a sporting event,they they often miss some of the action. often miss some of the action.

Revised:When a student videotapes a sporting event, he or shehe or she often misses some of the action.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

7 Pronoun Problems

• Avoid sexism– Be consistent in use of gender.– Avoid sexist pronouns.

• To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generic he.1 -Use masculine and feminine pronouns

together.2 -Revise the sentence by using the plural.3 -Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.

Examples:Examples:1. The person who planned this

exhibit knew what he or shewas doing.

2. The people who planned this exhibit knew what they

were doing.3. The people who planned this

exhibit did an excellent job.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

8 Pronoun Problems

1. An indefinite pronoun such as everybody everybody oror somethingsomething is usually singular.

Anyone who has developed his or her own film must be familiar with dark rooms.

Each of the photographers bought his or her camera.

Checkpoints

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

9 Pronoun Problems

The The collectioncollection on display on display is is in the gallery.in the gallery.

2. A collective noun which refers to a group 2. A collective noun which refers to a group as one unit is usually singular.as one unit is usually singular.

TheThe group group will have will have its its meeting this Friday.meeting this Friday.

Checkpoints

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

10 Pronoun Problems

3. Compound antecedents require a plural pronoun.

The zoom lens and the wide-angle lens require special situations for their use.

Checkpoints

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

11 Pronoun Problems

Use a Consistent Point of View:Use a Consistent Point of View: PronounsPronouns

Remember, do not shift point of point of viewview unnecessarily.

Ex.:Ex.: One of the fringe benefits One of the fringe benefits of of mymy job is that job is that youyou can use a can use a company credit card for company credit card for gasoline.gasoline.

II

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

12 Pronoun Problems

• Anyone can be Anyone can be successful in school if successful in school if theythey make the right make the right choices.choices.

• Revision:– Anyone can be can be

successful in school ifsuccessful in school if he or she makes the right choices.

Or– Students can be

successful in school if they make the right choices.

IncorrectIncorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

13 Pronoun Problems

• When students do not understand what they read, they should note their questions and find answers.

CorrectCorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

14 Pronoun Problems

• Students should realize that education supports your long term goals.

• The pronoun “your” does not refer to students.

• Revision:– Students should

realize that education supports their long term goals.IncorrectIncorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

15 Pronoun Problems

Libraries are important forLibraries are important forstudents because they students because they provide information.provide information.

IncorrectIncorrect Does Does THEYTHEY refer refer to students or to students or libraries?libraries?

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

16 Pronoun Problems

• Students should copy the material that the instructor writes on the board, and you should review these notes within 24 hours.

• 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.

IncorrectIncorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

17 Pronoun Problems

• Each of us must take responsibility for the quality of their own life.

• Incorrect:– Each is singular.

• Revision:– Each of us must take

responsibility for the quality of his or her life.

Or…– Individuals must take

responsibility for the quality of their own lives.

IncorrectIncorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

18 Pronoun Problems

When students join clubs and organizations,When students join clubs and organizations,they increase their chances of staying inthey increase their chances of staying inschool.school.

CorrectCorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

19 Pronoun Problems

• The most important thing a student can do is to organize your time.

• Incorrect:– Students is plural.

• Revision:– The most important

thing that students can do is to organize their time.

IncorrectIncorrect

English Essentials ©2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

20 Pronoun Problems

• Jamie dropped the heavy camera on her foot and broke it.

• Incorrect:– Did the camera

break or did her foot?

• Revision:– The camera broke

when Jamie dropped it on her foot.

IncorrectIncorrect