Problems with Pronouns
A pronoun replaces
a noun with words like she, they, your, their, it, etc. We use these words to
avoid repetition.
No pronoun: Students can view the students’
grades online.
Pronoun: Students can view their
grades online. (Their replaces students.)
No pronoun: My computer was broken, so I asked my roommate to fix my com-
puter.
Pronoun: My computer was broken, so I asked my
roommate to fix it. (It replaces my computer.)
Shift in Person
“Person” refers to
the “who” of a sentence. Review the following first, second, and third person
pronouns to get a feel for these categories.
1st
person singular: I,
my, me
1st
person plural: we,
our, us
2nd
person singular: you,
your
2nd
person plural: you
(Informally expressed “you guys”), your
3rd
person singular: he,
she, his, her, him, it, its
3rd
person plural: they,
their, them
Avoid unnecessarily changing the “person” in sentences or
paragraphs.
Unnecessary Shift:
Many parents spank their children out of anger and
frustra-tion, but this is no excuse. You
must first calm down before deciding how to disci-pline your children. (Notice the shift from 3rd person plural [parents,
their] to 2nd person [you, your])
Better: Many parents spank their children out of anger and frustration, but this is no excuse. They must first calm down before deciding
how to discipline their children.
Unnecessary Shift: If a student wants an exciting summer job, they can work in a national park. You won’t earn a lot of money, but the recreational opportunities are
amazing. (Notice the shift from 3rd person singular [a student] to 3rd person
plural [they], then to 2nd person [you].)
Better: If students want to earn extra money during the summer, they can work in a national park. They won’t earn a lot of money, but the recreation opportuni-ties are
amazing.
Many shifts in
person are logical and necessary. In the following example, the first per-son
singular (I) remembers good times with a first person plural (we).
Correct: My friends are gone now, but I will never forget the good times
we had our last summer together.
The General “You”
To avoid sounding pompous, some writers use “you”
instead of “one” to refer to a non-specific person. Depending on the
formality of the writing, this can be acceptable when
used sparingly and when the
sentence is an obvious generalization.
Acceptable: When
someone yells “fire” in a crowded building, you don’t stick around to ask questions.
However, repeatedly addressing the reader as “you”
can sound accusatory, as if pointing your finger directly at the reader.
Accusatory: Once you understand the causes of obesity, you can start changing your lifestyle.
Better: Once people understand the causes of obesity, they can start changing their lifestyle.
The following sentences use different ways of
generalizing the person. One version is not necessarily correct or incorrect,
but each has a slightly different effect. The audience and the formality of the
writing also play a role in which version to choose.
When it
comes to recycling, one can
always do better.
When it
comes to recycling, we can
always do better.
When it
comes to recycling, people can
always do better.
Pronoun Agreement in Number
A common error is to use “they”
(a plural pronoun) when referring to a singular noun.
While this may be considered
normal in everyday speech, avoid it in formal writing.
Incorrect:
I hate it when a customer doesn’t know
what they want.
Correct:
I hate it when customers don’t
know what they want.
Also: I
hate it when a customer doesn’t
know what he or she wants.
Sexist Use of Pronouns
Avoid favoring one gender when
referring to nonspecific persons. This mistake is espe-cially
common in stereotyping particular professions or activities as essentially male
or female.
A
good doctor will always listen to his patients.
(What about the female doctors?)
A student must apply to the nursing program if she wishes to become a nurse. (Men are also nurses.)
An
effective solution, when possible, is to make the noun and pronouns plural so
they become gender neutral.
Better:
Good doctors will always listen to their
patients.
Better: Students must
apply to the nursing program if they wish to
become nurses.
Another possibility is to
rephrase the sentence completely.
Listening
to patients is the hallmark of a good doctor.
Students
who want to become nurses must apply to the nursing program.
The
following examples represent additional options. However, these constructions
can be awkward and wordy. Avoid using these constructions unless completely
necessary.
A good
doctor will always listen to his/her
patients.
A student must apply to the nursing program if he or she wishes to become a nurse.
Who vs. That
Use the pronoun “who” when referring to people, “that” when referring to
things, “when” when referring to time, and “where” when referring to places.
Incorrect:
I know a man that climbed
Mount Everest.
Correct:
I know a man who climbed
Mount Everest.
Incorrect:
Is there a time that you can
come to my house?
Correct:
Is there a time when you can
come to my house?
Vague Pronouns
Remember that a pronoun replaces a noun, so that
instead of saying, “My roommate dropped off his car so that I could fix
the car,” we say, “My roommate dropped off his car so that I could fix it.” “It”
replaces “car.” Problems arise when it is not clear which noun the pronoun replaces.
Vague: My roommate
dropped off his car and computer so that I could fix it. (What
does “it” refer to, the car or the computer?)
Better: My roommate dropped off his computer for me to repair. He also
dropped off his car.
This
The word “this” can cause confusion because it can refer to anything—a
phenomenon, situation, or group of things.
Vague: The music at the concert was too loud and the crowd was too wild.
The food was terrible, and it rained for two hours. This made me feel sick the next day. (Does “this” refer to any single thing
or the whole set of circumstances?)
Better: The music at the concert was too loud and the crowd was too
wild. The food was terrible, and it rained for two hours. The bad food and
chilly weather made me feel sick the next day.
That
Make sure it is clear whether “that” refers to many things or
one thing specifically.
Vague: He said he
got stuck in traffic and blew a tire. He also said he ran out of gas just before he arrived. That seems pretty unlikely to me.
Better: He said he
got stuck in traffic and blew a tire. He also said he ran out of gas just before he arrived. Running out of gas seems pretty unlikely to
me.
Also: He said he got stuck in traffic
and blew a tire. He also said he ran out of gas just
before he arrived. It seems unlikely that all these things would happen in one
trip.
People
When discussing multiple persons, make sure it is clear who the pronouns
“he/she/ they/him/her” refer to.
Vague: My mom and sister went shopping last night. My mom bought my sister new shoes, but when
they came home she decided she didn’t like them.
Better: My mom and sister went shopping last night. My mom bought my sister new shoes, but when
they came home my sister decided she didn’t like them.
Problems with Pronouns—Exercise A
In the
following sentences, identify if there is a shift in person and decide if the
shift is unnecessary or necessary. If the shift is unnecessary, correct the
sentence.
1.
Finding a
good book is easy if you know where to look. We can always ask a librarian for
a recommendation.
2. When I go boating, you should always wear a life
vest.
3.
My
favorite time of year is autumn. It’s a good time for you to go on hikes with
your friends.
4.
We are
entitled to our opinion, but you should be considerate when present-ing your
argument.
5.
My
siblings and I play a lot of board games. We always compete to see who can win
the most games in a row.
Problems with Pronouns—Exercise B
Identify
the sentences that use the pronoun “you” in an accusatory way. If it sounds
accusatory, correct the sentence by changing the pronoun to “we” or “people,”
whichever fits.
Don’t forget to change the verb conjugation if necessary.
1. When it comes to dating, you never know when you’ll
bump into the “one.”
2.
It is
commonly accepted that whenever you let your dog out in public with-out a
leash, you are risking the safety of your dog and others.
3.
If you
stopped relying on the government for your food and housing, nation-al debt
could be greatly decreased.
4. It just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by
its cover.
5.
Many health benefits come from
exercising daily. If you had proper motiva-tion,
you would create a daily exercise routine.
Problems with Pronouns—Exercise C
In the following sentences, make the pronouns and
subjects agree in number. Some sentences have more than one subject. Don’t
forget to change the verb conjugation if necessary.
1. A student can always go to the library for all of
their research needs.
2.
Sometimes
the best résumé is the one that appeals to an employer’s visual tastes.
3.
In order
for a patient to be in top shape for giving blood, they must stay hy-drated
days in advance.
4.
When
writing a research paper, it is not necessary to ask permission from the author
before quoting their work.
5.
A
homeowner can do many of their own home repairs, but sometimes they need to ask
a professional for their opinion.
