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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.)