Vague Pronouns

In which sentence is it unclear who "he" refers to?

• David talked to his brother, and then he went home.

• David went home after he talked to his brother.

• After talking to his brother, David went home.

• David talked to his brother, and then David went home.

Answer explanation

The pronoun "he" is vague because it could refer to either "David" or "his brother." The other options rewrite the sentence to clarify who went home.

Which sentence has a clear antecedent for the pronoun "it"?

• I found a cool rock and a shiny shell, and I put it in my pocket.

• The bike had a flat tire, so my dad fixed it.

• The movie was long and the plot was confusing, which made it boring.

• She aced the test, and it made her happy.

Answer explanation

In this sentence, "it" clearly refers to the specific noun "the flat tire." In the other options, the antecedent is either ambiguous or refers vaguely to a whole idea.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D

True or False: To avoid confusion, a pronoun's antecedent should usually appear in the sentence before the pronoun is used.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Placing the antecedent (the noun) before the pronoun helps the reader immediately understand who or what the pronoun refers to, which prevents confusion.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D

Complete the sentence: My dog, Max, loves to play fetch. _______ always brings the ball right back.

• They

• She

• It

• He

Answer explanation

The antecedent is "My dog, Max," which is a single male dog, so the correct pronoun to use is "He."

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D

Which sentence uses a vague demonstrative pronoun?

• I don't understand this math problem.

• My friend was late for our movie, and that was really annoying.

• Can you hand me that book on the top shelf?

• These shoes are too small for me.

Answer explanation

The pronoun "that" is vague because it refers to the entire situation ("My friend was late for our movie") rather than a specific noun. The other sentences use demonstratives that point to a clear noun.

True or False: In the sentence, "On the news, they said it's going to snow tomorrow," the pronoun 'they' is used clearly and specifically.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The pronoun "they" is used vaguely to refer to an unspecified group (the newscasters or news station). A more precise sentence would name the source, like "The meteorologist said..."

In which sentence is the pronoun reference ambiguous?

• Before Maria could give the cookie to her sister, she ate it.

• Before Maria could give the cookie to her sister, the sister ate it.

• Maria ate the cookie before she could give it to her sister.

• The cookie was eaten by Maria before she could give it to her sister.

Answer explanation

The pronoun "she" is ambiguous because it is unclear if Maria or her sister ate the cookie. The other options rewrite the sentence to make the meaning clear.

Complete the sentence so that the pronoun is vague: The teachers told the students that _______ had to stay after school.

• the teachers

• the students

• they

• someone

Answer explanation

Using "they" creates ambiguity because it could refer to either "the teachers" or "the students." The other options specify exactly who had to stay.

Complete the sentence with a pronoun that has a missing or implied antecedent: I finished all my chores and cleaned my room, and _______ made my parents happy.

• this

• my work

• they

• I

Answer explanation

The pronoun "this" is vague because it refers to the entire action of finishing chores and cleaning, not to a single, specific noun antecedent.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D

True or False: In the sentence "The car has a scratch on the door, which is annoying," the antecedent for 'which' is clear.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The pronoun 'which' is unclear because it could refer to the 'scratch', the 'door', or the fact that the 'car has a scratch'. The reference is not precise.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1A

CCSS.L.6.1A

CCSS.L.6.1C

CCSS.L.6.1D