Wk 12 Pronoun Agreement and Reference

8/14/2019 Wk 12 Pronoun Agreement and Reference

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Pronoun Agreement andPronoun Agreement and

ReferenceReference

English Skills for Academic StudiesEnglish Skills for Academic Studies

John LanganJohn Langan(pp 355-360)(pp 355-360)


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Writers often useWriters often usepronouns to take theto take the

place of nouns.place of nouns.

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

Example:Example:

The photographs meant a great deal to himbecause they belonged to his grandmother.

PhotographsPhotograp

hs is the is theantecedentofofthey,

which is third person plural.which is third person plural.

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement


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Pronoun Reference

If a pronoun does not refer to a specificIf a pronoun does not refer to a specific

word, it may be unclear.word, it may be unclear.

Example:Example:

Mark told Todd thatMark told Todd that hehe needed toneeded to

buy a memory card.buy a memory card.

DidDid Mark or ToddMark or Todd need to buy a memoryneed to buy a memory

card?card?


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If a pronoun does not refer to a specificIf 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 membersThe editor told the staff members

not to mail the photographs becausenot to mail the photographs because

theythey were too important.were too important.

What does the wordWhat does the word theythey

refer too?refer too?

Pronoun Reference


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Pronouns and antecedents mustPronouns and antecedents must

agree inagree inperson andperson andnumbernumber..

Error in Person:Error in Person:

If a person wants toIf a person wants to

become a portraitbecome a portrait

photographer,photographer,youyou mustmusthave the properhave the proper

equipment for lighting.equipment for lighting.

Revised:Revised:

If a person wants toIf a person wants to

become a photographer,become a photographer,

hehe must have themust have theproper equipment forproper equipment for

lighting.lighting.



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Pronouns and antecedents mustPronouns and antecedents must

agree inagree inperson andperson andnumbernumber..

Error in Number:Error in Number:

When a student shots a sporting event video,When a student shots a sporting event video,

theythey often miss some of the action.often miss some of the action.

Revised:When a student shots a sporting event video,

heheoften misses some of the action.



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Avoid sexism

Be consistent in the use of gender.

Avoid sexist pronouns.

To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generiche.

- Use masculine and feminine pronouns together.

- Revise the sentence by using the plural.

- Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.

Avoid sexism

Be consistent in the use ofgender.

Avoid sexist pronouns.

To avoid sexism, use alternatives to the generiche.

- Use masculine and feminine pronouns together.

- Revise the sentence by using the plural.

- Reconstruct to eliminate the pronoun.

Example

Theperson who planned this

exhibit knew what he or she

was doing.



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1. An indefinite pronoun such aseverybodyeverybody oror

somethingsomethingis usually singular.

Anyone who has produced his own video must

be familiar with video cameras.

1. An indefinite pronoun such aseverybodyeverybody oror

somethingsomethingis usually singular.

Anyone who has producedhis own video must

be familiar with video cameras.

Each of the photographers bought his or her

camera.

Each of the photographers boughthis or hercamera.

Checkpoints

(See p 318 of your textbook for list of indefinite pronouns)


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TheThe collectioncollection on displayon display isis in the gallery.in the gallery.TheThe collectioncollection on displayon display isis in the gallery.in the gallery.

2. A collective noun which refers to a group as2. A collective noun which refers to a group as

one unit is usually singular.one unit is usually singular.

TheThe groupgroup will havewill have itsits meeting this Friday.meeting this Friday.

2. A collective noun which refers to a group as2. A collective noun which refers to a group as

one unit is usually singular.one unit is usually singular.

TheThe groupgroup will havewill have itsits meeting this Friday.meeting this Friday.

Checkpoints


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3. Compound antecedents require aplural pronoun.

Thezoom lens and the wide-angle lensrequire

special situations for their use.

Checkpoints


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Textbook Exercises

Unit 5, Chapter 3

Activities 1-3 (p.356-359)

Review Tests 1-2 (p.359-360)

Documents

Wk 12 Pronoun Agreement and Reference