Grammar Lesson
Pronoun Reference, Agreement, and Point of View
Remember that pronouns are words that take the place of nouns so they always
refer to a specific noun which is in the same sentence or previous sentence. In a
previous grammar lesson you examined different types of pronouns. Now in this
lesson you will look at some common pronoun errors in writing.
The following rules which apply to three common pronoun mistakes include:
1. Pronoun Reference--A pronoun must refer clearly to the noun which it
replaces.
Ex. I left my USB drive in the tutoring center and then it disappeared.
What disappeared? The USB or the tutoring center? The pronoun it
has an unclear, or ambiguous, reference.
Ex. I do not buy clothes at the department store because they charge too
much.
Who is they? The department store is not a they. In this sentence
there is not a noun for the word they to refer to.
2. Pronoun Agreement--A pronoun must agree in number (singular or plural)
with the word or words it replaces. If a pronoun refers to a word that is singular,
then the pronoun must be singular. If a pronoun refers to a word that is plural,
then the pronoun must be plural. In English grammar, the word the pronoun
refers to is called an antecedent.
Ex. Megan said that she would lend me her notes from the class.
The pronouns she and her refer to the noun Megan. Because the
word Megan is singular, the pronouns she and her also must
be singular.
Ex. The students relaxed outside in the courtyard during their break.
The pronoun their refers to the noun students. Because the word
students is plural, the pronoun their also must be plural.
3. Pronoun shift in point of view--Pronouns should not shift unnecessarily in
point of view. Point of view refers to the person of the pronoun used.
1st person refers to the speaker’s point-of-view
2nd person refers to the person being spoken to
3rd person refers to the people being talked about
Subject
Pronouns
Singular
1st -- I
2nd -- you
3rd -- he, she, it, one
Subject
Pronouns
Plural
st
1 -- we
2nd -- you
3rd -- they
Object
Object
Pronouns
Pronouns
Singular
Plural
st
st
1 -- me
1 -- us
nd
2 -- you
2nd -- you
3rd -- him, her, it, one 3rd -- them
First person point of view
Ex. I found that many people I interviewed felt that a college education was
valuable.
The speaker, I, is talking about himself and actions that he took.
Ex. We visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona last summer.
The speaker is included in the people doing the action we.
Second person point of view
Ex. You should go to school this summer.
The speaker is talking directly to another person.
Ex. All of you students should go to the workshop about the Accuplacer
test.
The speaker is talking to more than one person.
Third person point of view
Ex. He, Robert, felt that the college should provide more opportunities for
the students.
The speaker is talking about what another person felt.
Ex. They believe that the wealthy should pay more taxes than other
people.
The speaker is talking about what other people believe.
Do not change person or point of view in the middle of a sentence or passage. If
you begin writing in first person, do not switch to 2nd person part way through.
Be consistent in the use of the same person.
Inconsistent point of view
Ex. One reason that I like living in the country is that you have more room
to raise animals.
The sentence changes from first person, I, to the second person, you, in the
same sentence. This is inconsistency and should not be done in most writing!
Consistent point of view
Ex. One reason that I like living in the country is that I have more room to
raise animals.
This sentence keeps the same first person point of view and is correct.
I.
Read Langan’s Sentence Skills with Readings Chapter 13 on Pronoun
Reference, Agreement, and Point of View on pp. 206-213.
II.
Do Practices 1, 2, 3, & 4 in Langan textbook on pp. 208-214. Check
answers in back of book.
Do Review Tests 1 & 2 in Langan textbook on pp. 214-216.
Click here and here for answers to Test 1.
Click here and here for answers to Test 2.
III.
Do the practice exercises at the online websites below.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/pron2_quiz.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/niu/niu8.htm
IV.
Take the online quiz in Blackboard by the required date.