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 it unclear who or what is being talked about.

Front

Give an example of a vague pronoun in a sentence.

Back

In the sentence 'The dog chased the cat, but it got away,' 'it' is a vague pronoun because it's unclear whether 'it' refers to the dog or the cat.

Front

What is the purpose of using pronouns in sentences?

Back

Pronouns are used to replace nouns in order to avoid repetition and make sentences easier to read.

Front

Identify the vague pronoun in this sentence: 'When Sarah saw Emily, she waved at her.'

Back

The vague pronoun is 'she' because it is unclear whether 'she' refers to Sarah or Emily.

Front

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

Back

A specific pronoun clearly refers to a particular noun, while a vague pronoun does not specify which noun it refers to.

Front

In the sentence 'The teacher told the students that they needed to study,' who does 'they' refer to?

Back

'They' refers to the students, but it could be vague if there are multiple groups involved.

Front

What is an example of a sentence with a vague pronoun error?

Back

'My brother told my sister that he would help her.' (It's unclear who 'he' refers to.)

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How can you fix a vague pronoun error?

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You can fix a vague pronoun error by replacing the vague pronoun with a specific noun or by rephrasing the sentence for clarity.

Front

Identify the vague pronoun in this sentence: 'The committee made their decision, and it was unanimous.'

Back

The vague pronoun is 'it' because it does not specify what 'it' refers to.

Front

What is the role of context in understanding vague pronouns?

Back

Context helps clarify which noun a vague pronoun refers to, but if the context is insufficient, the meaning can remain unclear.