A vague pronoun reference might include
words such as it, that, this, and which, and can leave the reader wondering what or to whom the pronoun refers
. Writers who strive for clarity in their work should be certain that each pronoun has a specific antecedent.
How do you identify a vague pronoun?
A pronoun is vague
when it’s unclear which noun the pronoun refers to
. To correct a vague pronoun, replace the pronoun with its noun antecedent. Vague: As soon as Belinda saw Hannah, she waved hello.
What is the best definition of a vague pronoun?
A vague pronoun reference occurs
when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent
. When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief. The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
What type of pronoun is vague?
A pronoun is considered to be vague when it is difficult to determine what the pronoun refers to (the antecedent). Ambiguity or confusion can occur when
demonstrative
pronouns, such as ‘this’ or ‘it’ (which have no clear antecedents), are used to begin a sentence.
What sentences use vague pronouns?
* Harry was always late for class, and this drove his teacher crazy
. * Harry was always late for class, which drove his teacher crazy. That problem is vague pronoun reference. It, this, and which are pronouns, and they need to refer back to a specific noun, not to the whole idea of a previous statement.
How do you fix vague writing?
How to Avoid Vague Writing. – Use
descriptions
if you need to convey your impression of an object, scene, or person. Instead of saying, “My new boss has a weird appearance,” for instance, you could write: “My new boss has purple hair and dark-red lipstick, and instead of a business suit, she wore jeans and a singlet.”
How do I stop being vague?
In both conversational and formal English, avoid vagueness.
Never use a pronoun that may refer to two or more ideas
; don’t leave your reader or listener wondering what you mean.
What is a vague sentence?
1a :
not clearly expressed : stated in indefinite terms vague accusations
. b : not having a precise meaning a vague term of abuse. 2a : not clearly defined, grasped, or understood : indistinct only a vague notion of what’s needed also : slight a vague hint of a thickening waistline hasn’t the vaguest idea.
What is a vague word?
When something is vague,
it’s unclear
, murky, and hard to understand. Vague comes from the Latin vagus, which means wandering or rambling. Think of a vagabond, someone who wanders around the world with only a vague idea of where he’s going.
How do you fix ambiguous pronouns?
When a pronoun and its antecedent are separated by other words, the pronoun reference may be unclear. To avoid this issue, rewrite the sentence in order to
place the pronoun closer to the antecedent to which it refers
. Let’s take a look at an example: When Elizabeth dropped her computer on the table, it broke.
What is a pronoun and give examples?
Definition. A pronoun (I, me, he, she, herself, you, it, that, they, each, few, many, who, whoever, whose, someone, everybody, etc.) is
a word that takes the place of a noun
. In the sentence Joe saw Jill, and he waved at her, the pronouns he and her take the place of Joe and Jill, respectively.
What are pronoun shifts?
A pronoun shift is
a grammatical error in which the author starts a sentence
, paragraph, or section of a paper using one particular type of pronoun and then suddenly shifts to another. This often confuses the reader.
What is a vague pronoun error?
Faulty / vague pronoun reference errors also
occur when the pronoun’s antecedent functions as an adjective rather than a noun
. In such cases, the true antecedent is “hidden” or obscured from the reader because it has been subordinated to another noun. Thus, we call this kind of faulty antecedent a hidden antecedent.
What is the difference between a pronoun and an antecedent?
A personal pronoun takes the place of a noun. An antecedent is the word, phrase, or
clause
to which a pronoun refers.
What every pronoun needs?
Pronouns
must agree in number, in gender, and person with their antecedents
. Additionally, pronouns should also agree with the antecendent in number, gender, and person.
Why are vague pronouns a problem?
The pronoun it does not have a clear noun antecedent. As a result,
the reader cannot know for sure whether Mabel sold the disk or the cabinet
. … Such errors, called FAULTY or VAGUE PRONOUN REFERENCE, can confuse readers and obscure the intended meaning.
