ENGLISH PRONOUN REFERENCE EXERCISE 1
✓ Useful for TOEFL
✓ Useful for Cambridge B2/C1
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.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
2. His voice was so loud that he made some of the audience members uncomfortable.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
3. If Jim hadn't spent all his money gambling, he could have used it to buy his wife a present.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
4. Mr. Jonasson decided to postpone the final exam until the following week. This made his students happy.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
5. It said on the news today that a storm was on its way.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
6. Diane's cat Mittens, who was adopted from an animal shelter, slept by her head every night.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
7. Frank wanted to give Tony his old camera, but he was away on vacation.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
8. I never drink alcohol because it makes you sick.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
9. Ingrid lost the race and then went out and had some wine with her friends. Her coach was not happy about this.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
10. He started eating more fruit and vegetables. This improved his health and gave him more energy.
That's right! Well done!Sorry, that is incorrect. Please try again.
Grammar review
A pronoun should have a clear reference. If a reader can't tell who or what it refers to, 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 clear referent: It mentioned in the email that the meeting was postponed. "It" isn't standing in for anything specific.
"This" referring to a whole idea: this can be perfectly clear when the reference is obvious: He started eating more vegetables. This improved his health. Here, this refers to the change in his diet. It becomes a problem when several earlier ideas could be the intended reference.
Fix: repeat or name the intended noun or idea when the reference could otherwise be ambiguous.
Two possible nouns: Sarah told Emma that her flight had been delayed. Whose flight, Sarah's or Emma's? Unclear.
No clear referent: It mentioned in the email that the meeting was postponed. "It" isn't standing in for anything specific.
"This" referring to a whole idea: this can be perfectly clear when the reference is obvious: He started eating more vegetables. This improved his health. Here, this refers to the change in his diet. It becomes a problem when several earlier ideas could be the intended reference.
Fix: repeat or name the intended noun or idea when the reference could otherwise be ambiguous.
More advanced English exercises
Pronoun agreement 1
Pronoun case 1
Pronoun case 2
Pronoun reference 1
Pronoun reference 2
Pronouns with elliptical clauses 1
Pronoun case 1
Pronoun case 2
Pronoun reference 1
Pronoun reference 2
Pronouns with elliptical clauses 1
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