Pronoun Reference
ONLINE WRITING CENTER
DARTON STATE COLLEGE
Introduction
 Pronouns* do not have a definite meaning on their own.
Therefore, their meaning is only clear when it is obvious
what words they reference. The words pronouns reference
are called antecedents.
1. Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in person and
number†. (This type of agreement will not be discussed in this
presentation.)
2. Pronouns cannot be ambiguous.
3. Pronouns should not be broad.
4. Pronouns should not be weak.
5. Pronouns should not be impersonal.
*See more about pronouns in “Pronouns” in the Online Writing Center.
† See more about pronoun-antecedent agreement in the Online Writing Center.
1. Ambiguous Pronoun Reference
 Sometimes a sentence contains two or more words to
which one pronoun refers. The avoid ambiguity, the
sentence should be written in a such a way that it is
clear what word the pronoun references.
 * Pete told his instructor that his car has been stolen. (In
this sentence, “his” can refer to both Pete and the instructor.)
 Correction: Pete told his instructor that the instructor’s car has
been stolen. (This version avoids the ambiguity but it might
sound unnatural and even redundant.)
 Correction: Pete told his instructor, “Your car has been stolen.”
(This direct speech avoids both the ambiguity and the awkward
repetition.)
* Incorrect sentence
2. Broad Pronoun Reference
 *In a proposal, the employee made grammar mistakes and
forgot to include the company’s strength, which made the
proposal useless. (The pronoun “which” has no clear antecedent.)
 Correction: Making grammar mistakes and forgetting to
include the company’s strength made the employee’s
proposal useless.
 She talked endlessly about her operation, which was
tiresome. (The pronoun “which” has no clear antecedent.)
 Correction: Her endless talk about the operation was
tiresome.
3. Weak Pronoun Reference
 A pronoun should not refer to a word merely by its
context.
 Joan really enjoys her history classes. This is the profession
she would like to follow. (We might think that “this” refers
to “history,” but the reference is not clear.
 Correction: Joan really enjoys her history classes. History is
the profession she would like to follow.
4. Impersonal Use of Personal Pronouns
 In certain expressions (weather, time and distance), including
pronouns without antecedents is an acceptable practice:

It is now mid-March and it is still very cold. (The first “it” refers to
time. The second “it” refers to the weather.)
 Using “you” to refer to people in general should also be avoided.
 * If you want to succeed in this class, you should study harder. (The
use of “you” suggests that the writer is talking to one particular person.
However, in many cases, statements like this are intended for a general
audience, so the use of “you” is incorrect.)
 Correction: If students want to succeed in this class, they should study
harder.
 * When shoppers see the bargains, you should stock up on necessary
items.
 Correction: When shoppers see the bargains, they should stock up on
necessary items.
Works Cited
Butler, Eugenia, Mary Ann Hickman, Patricia J. McAlexander, and
Lalla Overby. Correct Writing. 6th ed. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath
and Co., 1995. Print.
Odell, Lee, Richard Vacca, and Renee Hobbs. Elements of
Language. 6th course. Austin, Holt, Rinehart, and
Winston, 2001. Print.