Pronouns: reference and agreement
Unclear 'it', 'they' and 'this' break coherence (E4): the reader loses track of what the argument is about.
Rules with examples
Every pronoun must point to one clear noun.
Don't start a sentence with a bare 'This' that refers to a whole idea. Add a noun.
Collective nouns referring to an institution take 'it', not 'they', in formal writing.
Use 'who' for people, 'which' for things, 'that' for either in defining clauses.
Use object pronouns after prepositions.
Pronouns: reference and agreement: exercises with answers
- their
- its
- it's
- they're
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its — Institution as one body: its. 'It's' means 'it is'.
- Pakistan and India signed the treaty, but it later violated it.
- Pakistan and India signed the treaty, but India later accused Pakistan of violating it.
- They signed it, but they later broke it.
- Pakistan and India signed it and it was broken.
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Pakistan and India signed the treaty, but India later accused Pakistan of violating it. — Names replace the ambiguous pronouns.
- which
- whom
- who
- whose
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who — People, subject of 'warned': who.
- The decision was left to my colleague and I.
- The decision was left to my colleague and me.
- The decision was left to me and my colleague and I.
- The decision was left to myself and my colleague.
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The decision was left to my colleague and me. — After 'to', use the object form: me.
- This was bad.
- It was bad.
- This widening trade gap drained reserves.
- They were bad.
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This widening trade gap drained reserves. — 'This' + a noun tells the reader exactly what you mean.
Correct these sentences
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✓ All students should bring their own books.
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✓ The army and the government disagreed, and each blamed the other.
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✓ Inflation, unemployment and debt rose together. This combination is dangerous.
Studied in Week 6 alongside Module 6: Paragraph craft.
Frequently asked questions
Is it 'the government must fulfil its promises' or 'their promises'?
'Its promises' in formal writing, because the government is treated as one body.