Home/Grammar exercises/Pronouns/Pronoun reference 1

ENGLISH PRONOUN REFERENCE EXERCISE 1

✓ Useful for TOEFL ✓ Useful for Cambridge B2/C1






Grammar review A pronoun should always point clearly to one specific noun. If a reader can't tell who or what it means, the sentence is confusing, even if the grammar is technically correct.

Two possible nouns: Sarah told Emma that her flight had been delayed. Whose flight, Sarah's or Emma's? Unclear.
No real noun at all: It mentioned in the email that the meeting was postponed. "It" isn't standing in for anything.
"This" pointing to a whole idea: He ate more vegetables. This improved his health. What exactly is "this"? Better to say "eating more vegetables."

Fix: repeat the actual noun, or rewrite the sentence so there's only one possible meaning.


READY TO PRACTICE? LET’S GO!
Choose whether the pronoun reference in each of the following sentences is CORRECT or INCORRECT/CONFUSING.

Example: Mr. Collins told Jim, his colleague, that he had to stop taking such long lunch breaks.
answer: INCORRECT (It is unclear whether the "he" refers to Mr. Collins or Jim.)


1. Sarah would have driven Patricia home if she hadn't been so tired.
2. His voice was so loud that he made some of the audience members uncomfortable.
3. If Jim hadn't spent all his money gambling, he could have used it to buy his wife a present.
4. Mr. Jonasson decided to postpone the final exam until the following week. This made his students happy.
5. It said on the news today that a storm was on its way.
6. Diane's cat Mittens, who was adopted from an animal shelter, slept by her head every night.
7. Frank wanted to give Tony his old camera, but he was away on vacation.
8. I never drink alcohol because it makes you sick.
9. Ingrid lost the race and then went out and had some wine with her friends. Her coach was not happy about this.
10. He started eating more fruit and vegetables. This improved his health and gave him more energy.


Premium Resources
© 2006–2026 LearnEnglishFeelGood.com unless otherwise stated. Reposting our content online is not allowed. See our content policy.