Pronoun Shifts and Vague Pronouns

Front

What is a vague pronoun?

Back

A vague pronoun is a pronoun that does not clearly refer to a specific noun, making the meaning of the sentence unclear.

Front

Identify a sentence with a vague pronoun: 'Despite the heat wave, they say Seattle is a cool city.'

Back

The pronoun 'they' is vague because it does not specify who is saying this.

Front

What is the best way to avoid vague pronouns in writing?

Back

Use specific nouns instead of pronouns to clarify who or what you are referring to.

Front

Which sentence avoids vague pronouns: 'The Ancestral Pueblo people do not know why they moved into the cliffs.' or 'Archaeologists are not sure why the Ancestral Pueblo people moved into the cliffs.'?

Back

The second sentence avoids vague pronouns by specifying 'Archaeologists'.

Front

Fill in the blank: A few ancient Egyptian rulers were women, but usually ____________ had to be male.

Back

they.

Front

Which sentence does NOT contain a vague pronoun: 'Although the bike hit the tree, it was not damaged.' or 'The pirates left their gold in a hidden cave.'?

Back

The second sentence does not contain a vague pronoun.

Front

What is the role of pronouns in a sentence?

Back

Pronouns replace nouns to avoid repetition and make sentences easier to read.

Front

Give an example of a sentence with a clear pronoun reference.

Back

'Maria gave her book to John.' (The pronoun 'her' clearly refers to Maria.)

Front

What is the difference between a vague pronoun and a specific pronoun?

Back

A vague pronoun does not clearly refer to a specific noun, while a specific pronoun clearly identifies the noun it replaces.

Front

Why is it important to avoid vague pronouns in writing?

Back

Avoiding vague pronouns helps to ensure clarity and understanding in communication.