Here are three common types of faulty pronoun reference:
- Ambiguous reference occurs when a pronoun can refer to more than one antecedent.
- Remote reference occurs when a pronoun is so far away from its antecedent that the relationship is unclear.
- Vague reference occurs when a pronoun refers to a word that is only implied, not stated.
How do you use ambiguous pronoun in a sentence?
My parents grow corn and squash in their garden. The plural pronoun their correctly refers to the plural word parents. An ambiguous pronoun reference is one in which the antecedent is not clear. Take the following sentences for example: Ambiguous Reference: After I go to the store, I’ll drive over to pick her up.
What is an ambiguous reference?
An ambiguous reference is the situation in which a sentence contains a pronoun that could refer to either of two nouns in the same sentence or (using our new vocabulary word) where we have a pronoun but we aren’t sure what its antecedent is. Let’s look at some examples. 1.
How do you avoid ambiguity in a sentence?
Therefore, in order to avoid ambiguity, it is best to make sure the pronoun is as close to the antecedent as possible or to restructure the sentence to either remove the pronouns or the ambiguity. In doing so, it is much easier for the reader to grasp the information the writer provides.
What are the different types of pronouns?
While there are over 100 pronouns, the most common include the following: An ambiguous pronoun occurs when a sentence contains two possible antecedents, leaving the reader or listener unaware of which the pronoun is referring to, also known as a faulty pronoun reference.
What is a pronoun reference example?
Pronouns are words that refer to “something else” – usually a noun – earlier in the sentence or in a previous sentence. Jill watched her favorite movie. In this example, “her” refers to Jill. Pat walked his dog.
What is a pronoun reference error example?
Example: The pronoun it does not have a clear noun antecedent. As a result, the reader cannot know for sure whether Mabel sold the disk or the cabinet. The pronoun reference is faulty here because the pronoun it has two antecedents.
What is a unclear pronoun reference?
An unclear pronoun reference occurs when it is not clear which noun a pronoun refers to. In the following example, the noun or nouns to which that pronoun might refer are in boldface, and the pronoun is in italics: Unclear: To keep birds from eating seeds, soak them in blue food coloring.
What is a vague pronoun reference?
What is a Vague Pronoun? A pronoun can be considered vague if it doesn't clearly refer to a specific person or thing in the sentence (the antecedent). Using demonstrative pronouns, such as 'it' or 'those,' without a clear antecedent can cause confusion.
How do you fix ambiguous pronouns?
Use direct quotation rather than indirect quotation to correct the ambiguous pronoun. Since there are two possibilities of which she was late to work, there are two corrected sentences that might be used, depending on which is true.
How do you identify a pronoun reference?
A pronoun is a word used to stand for (or take the place of) a noun. A pronoun should refer clearly to one, clear, unmistakable noun coming before the pronoun. This noun is called the pronoun's antecedent.
Which sentence has a unclear pronoun reference?
Unclear: She doesn't even pay rent and yelled at us for making too much noise. This blew our minds! Revised: It blew our minds that she yelled at us for making too much noise when she doesn't even pay rent! Unclear: When he broke his arm and the bone popped out, that was disgusting!
How do you rewrite a sentence to make the pronoun reference clear?
Here are two ways you could rewrite this sentence:Quoth the Maven. Make a pronoun clearly refer to a single antecedent.Strictly Speaking. Remember that a pronoun replaces a noun. ... Quoth the Maven. Place pronouns close to their antecedents.Take My Word for It.
What are examples of vague pronouns?
A vague pronoun reference might include words such as it, that, this, and which, and can leave the reader wondering what or to whom the pronoun refers.
How do you clarify vague pronouns?
1:102:44Vague Pronouns - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWord if the antecedent is missing rewrite the sentence to include a clear and decedent for eachMoreWord if the antecedent is missing rewrite the sentence to include a clear and decedent for each vague. Pronoun. An appropriate noun or noun phrase.
What does pronoun reference mean?
What is pronoun reference? Pronoun reference is the practice of making pronouns refer clearly to the words they replace. A pronoun takes the place of a noun; thus, the pronoun must agree with the noun it replaces in number and person.
What is pronoun reference and agreement examples?
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents, which is the noun to which pronouns refer. Singular pronouns are used with singular antecedents, and plural pronouns are used with plural antecedents. Examples: Yes: Professor Jones finished his lecture. (Singular antecedent, singular pronoun.)
How many types of pronoun errors are there?
7 types of pronouns + Pronoun Errors.
What is the meaning of ambiguous pronoun?
An ambiguous pronoun occurs when the antecedent of a pronoun within a sentence is unclear. An antecedent is the word to which the pronoun refers.
How do you fix an ambiguous pronoun?
There are a few ways to fix an ambiguous pronoun. One way is to restructure the sentence so the pronoun is closer to its antecedent. The sentence c...
What is an example of an ambiguous pronoun?
An example of an ambiguous pronoun occurs in the following sentence: When Jane dropped her bowling ball on the floor, it cracked. What cracked - th...
What is a ambiguous pronoun reference?
Ambiguous pronoun reference occurs when the antecedent of a pronoun is missing or unclear: John and Jim decided to go to the store after he finishe...
What is an ambiguous reference?
An ambiguous reference is the situation in which a sentence contains a pronoun that could refer to either of two nouns in the same sentence or (using our new vocabulary word) where we have a pronoun but we aren’t sure what its antecedent is.
What is a pronoun in a sentence?
You probably already know this, but just in case, I’ll offer a definition. A pronoun is a word that replaces or refers back to a noun (that we’ve already seen in the sentence or paragraph).
Where do you put the pronoun "herself" in a sentence?
Here we switch where the pronoun goes. Instead of putting the pronoun in the “convinced” part of the sentence, which could refer to either the mayor or Ms. Lopez, we put it in the “appointed” part, which logic dictates can only apply to Ms. Lopez. Then we KNOW that “her” must refer to Ms. Lopez because the mayor would not appoint herself chair of the committee (but if she did, we would use the reflexive pronoun “herself” instead of “her” because the mayor is also the subject of the main sentence).
Can you rewrite a sentence to make ambiguous references clear?
We can rewrite sentences to make ambiguous references clear in MANY ways, but here are a couple of tips.
Can you use a participial adjective in a sentence?
We could use a participial adjective and rewrite the sentence so that it’s right next to “mayor”: Convinced of the need for an environmental study, the mayor appointed Ms. Lopez chair of the committee.
What is an ambiguous pronoun reference?
An ambiguous pronoun reference is one in which the antecedent is not clear. Take the following sentences for example:
Do pronouns always agree with their antecedent?
A pronoun must always agree with its antecedent. Consider this example:
What is a pronoun in grammar?
Grammarly. Grammar. Pronouns are words that stand in for a noun in a sentence. Whenever pronouns are used, it should be unmistakably clear which noun the pronoun is standing in for. A faulty pronoun reference will result in a muddled sentence and a confused reader.
What is a pronoun for "be the best writer in the office"?
Be the best writer in the office. A pronoun is like an actor’s double on a movie set: it is a simplified version of the noun it is standing in for. The mother called the daughter. The mother called her. Her is a pronoun representing the daughter in a simple construction that causes no confusion.
Is "her" a pronoun?
Her is a pronoun representing the daughter in a simple construction that causes no confusion. Consider this more complex sentence, however:
