ACT Preparation / Unit 3 ACT 0218 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Fixing Pronoun Reference in a Paragraph
The idea
To check the pronouns in a paragraph, work in three steps. First, mark every pronoun. Second, for each, name its antecedent; if two nouns could fit, or none is stated, the reference is unclear. Third, repair by replacing the pronoun with the noun it means, or by rewording so that only one antecedent is possible.
In practice
Worked example: "The coach told the captain that she needed to rest. They say practice will resume Monday. This worried the team." She could be the coach or the captain, so name her: "the captain needed to rest." They has no antecedent at all: "The trainers say practice will resume Monday." This points at no noun: "The delay worried the team."
Where people slip
An unclear pronoun can be grammatical and still fail. The test is whether a reader could name the antecedent without guessing.
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