Wk 12 Pronoun Agreement And Reference

Pronoun Agreement and Reference English Skills for Academic Studies John Langan

(pp 355-360)

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement • 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. – “Photographs” is the antecedent of “they”, which is third person plural.

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 a memory card. • Did Mark or Todd need to buy a memory card?

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 the word “they” refer too?

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Pronouns and antecedents 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.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Pronouns and antecedents must agree in person and number. Error in Number: When a student shots a sporting event video, they often miss some of the action. Revised:When a student shots a sporting event video, he often misses some of the action.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement • Avoid sexism – Be consistent in the use of gender. – Avoid sexist pronouns.

Example The person who planned this exhibit knew what he or she was doing.

• To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generic “he”. - Use masculine and feminine pronouns together. - Revise the sentence by using the plural. - Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.

Checkpoints 1. An indefinite pronoun such as everybody or something is usually singular. Anyone who has produced his own video must be familiar with video cameras. Each of the photographers bought his or her camera. (See p 318 of your textbook for list of indefinite pronouns)

Checkpoints 2. A collective noun which refers to a group as one unit is usually singular. The group will have its meeting this Friday.

The collection on display is in the gallery.

Checkpoints 3. Compound antecedents require a plural pronoun.

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

Textbook Exercises • Unit 5, Chapter 3 • Activities 1-3 (p.356-359) • Review Tests 1-2 (p.359-360)