Anker Susan. Real Essays with Readings with 2009 MLA Update
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EDITING ESSAYS
Chapter 27 • Pronouns 497
3. Microlending has become a popular banking trend. It has helped people
in impoverished neighborhoods all over the world.
4. Microlending has succeeded because it involves lending very small
amounts of money.
5. Many poor owners of small businesses use microlending to help them get
their start.
6. For example, street vendors sell small quantities and earn small profi ts, so
they may never save up enough to expand.
7. Yet a woman selling tacos from a cart may have enough experience to
manage her own business successfully.
8. If the taco vendor gets a microloan, she may be able to open a storefront
restaurant and earn larger profi ts.
9. After receiving a small loan, a young entrepreneur can make his or her
business more successful.
10. According to my uncle, getting a microloan allowed him to pursue a
childhood dream.
Practice Using Pronouns Correctly
Check for Pronoun Agreement
A pronoun must agree with (match) the noun or pronoun it refers to in
number: It must be singular (one) or plural (more than one). If it is singu-
lar, it must also match its noun or pronoun in gender (he, she, or it).
CONSISTENT Sherry talked to her aunt.
[Her agrees with Sherry because both are singular and feminine.]
CONSISTENT The Romanos sold their restaurant.
[Their agrees with Romanos because both are plural.]
■ For more help
with pronouns, see
Chapter 33.
■ Answers to
odd-numbered
practice items are at
the back of the book.
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EDITING ESSAYS
498 Part Five • Other Grammar Concerns
Watch out for singular nouns that are not specifi c. If a noun is singular,
the pronoun must be singular as well.
INCONSISTENT Any athlete can tell you about their commitment to
practice.
[Athlete is singular, but the pronoun their is plural.]
CONSISTENT Any athlete can tell you about his or her commitment to
practice.
[Athlete is singular, and so are the pronouns his and her.]
As an alternative to using the phrase his or her, make the subject plural if
you can. (For more on this, see the note below.)
CONSISTENT All athletes can tell you about their commitment to
practice.
Two types of words often cause errors in pronoun agreement — indefi nite
pronouns and collective nouns.
Indefi nite Pronouns
An indefi nite pronoun does not refer to a specifi c person, place, or
thing; it is general. Indefi nite pronouns often take singular verbs. When-
ever a pronoun refers to an indefi nite person, place, or thing, check for
agreement.
his
his
Someone forgot th
^
^
eir coat.
his or her
Everybody practiced th
^
^
eir lines.
NOTE: Although it is grammatically correct, using a masculine pronoun
(he, his, or him) alone to refer to a singular indefi nite pronoun such as
everyone is now considered sexist. Here are two ways to avoid this problem:
1. Use his or her.
Someone forgot his or her coat.
2. Change the sentence so that the pronoun refers to a plural noun or
pronoun.
The children forgot their coats.
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EDITING ESSAYS
Chapter 27 • Pronouns 499
PRACTICE 2 USING INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
Circle the correct pronoun or group of words in parentheses.
(1) Everyone who has battled an addiction to alcohol has ( his or her /
their ) own view of the best ways to stop drinking. (2) Millions of former
problem drinkers have quit, and many have made ( his or her / their ) way
through recovery programs. (3) Few begin the road to recovery without
attending ( his or her / their ) fi rst Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
(4) With its famous twelve-step program, AA has helped countless alco-
holics, but someone who is not religious may fi nd that ( he or she / they )
has diffi culty with one of the twelve steps. (5) No one can complete the
whole AA recovery program without turning ( himself or herself / them-
selves ) over to a “higher power.” (6) In addition, everybody who joins
AA is asked to admit that ( he or she is / they are ) powerless over alcohol.
(7) Many object that ( he or she needs / they need ) to feel empowered
rather than powerless in order to recover. (8) Anyone who does not feel
Indefi nite Pronouns
ALWAYS SINGULAR
anybody everyone nothing
anyone everything one (of )
anything much somebody
each (of ) neither (of ) someone
either (of ) nobody something
everybody no one
MAY BE SINGULAR OR PLURAL
all none
any some
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EDITING ESSAYS
500 Part Five • Other Grammar Concerns
that ( he or she / they ) can believe in a higher power might participate
instead in a group like Secular Organizations for Sobriety. (9) Some can
take responsibility for ( his or her / their ) drinking and stop more easily
with groups such as Smart Recovery. (10) Different approaches work for
different people, but former problem drinkers offer this sober advice to
others with alcohol problems: Anyone can quit drinking if ( he or she wants /
they want ) to stop badly enough.
Collective Nouns
A collective noun names a group that acts as a single unit.
Common Collective Nouns
audience company group
class crowd jury
college family society
committee government team
Collective nouns are usually singular, so when you use a pronoun to
refer to a collective noun, it too must usually be singular.
its
The class had th
^
^
eir fi nal exam at 8:00 a.m.
its
The group turned in th
^
^
eir report.
If the people in a group are acting as individuals, however, the noun is
plural and should be used with a plural pronoun.
The audience took their seats.
The drenched crowd huddled under their umbrellas.
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EDITING ESSAYS
Chapter 27 • Pronouns 501
PRACTICE 3 USING COLLECTIVE NOUNS
AND PRONOUNS
Fill in the correct pronoun (their or its) in each of the following sentences.
EXAMPLE: The basketball team was playing all of
its
games in a
damp, dark gymnasium.
1. The downtown branch of the university needed to overhaul several build-
ings on campus.
2. The theater department wanted to enlarge the auditorium used for
productions.
3. In the present theater, the audience had to wait in seats until the
performance was over and then exit through the stage door.
4. A sorority also needed more space to house members.
5. In addition, the football team could not go to any out-of-town games
because bus had broken down.
6. The science teachers had to hold offi ce hours in the student
cafeteria.
7. The university president appointed a commission to study renovations
and agreed to abide by fi ndings.
8. The graduating class agreed to step up fund-raising campaign.
9. One wealthy family donated slightly used luxury car to a fund-
raising auction.
10. A record homecoming crowd shouted approval as the renovation
plans were announced.
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EDITING ESSAYS
502 Part Five • Other Grammar Concerns
Make Pronoun Reference Clear
If the reader isn’t sure what a pronoun refers to, the sentence may be
confusing.
Avoid Ambiguous or Vague Pronoun References
In an ambiguous pronoun reference, the pronoun could refer to more
than one noun.
AMBIGUOUS Michelle told Carla that she should get a better hourly
wage.
[Did Michelle tell Carla that Michelle herself should get a better hourly wage? Or
did Michelle tell Carla that Carla should get a better hourly wage?]
EDITED Michelle told Carla that she wanted a better hourly wage.
AMBIGUOUS I threw my bag on the table and it broke.
[Was it the bag or the table that broke?]
EDITED My bag broke when I threw it on the table.
In a vague pronoun reference, the pronoun does not refer clearly
to any particular person or thing. To correct a vague pronoun reference,
substitute a more specifi c noun for the pronoun.
VAGUE After an accident at the intersection, they installed a
traffi c light.
[Who installed the traffi c light?]
EDITED After an accident at the intersection, the highway
department installed a traffi c light.
VAGUE When I heard it, I laughed.
[Heard what?]
EDITED When I heard the message, I laughed.
PRACTICE 4 AVOIDING AMBIGUOUS OR VAGUE
PRONOUN REFERENCES
Edit each of the following sentences to eliminate any ambiguous or vague
pronoun references. Some sentences may be revised correctly in more than
one way.
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EDITING ESSAYS
Chapter 27 • Pronouns 503
scientists
EXAMPLE: In a recent study, t
^
hey found that people do not always
see objects that are in unexpected places.
1. In a psychology study, volunteers watched a video of two basketball teams,
and they had to count the number of passes.
2. As the volunteers focused on the players, some of them did not notice a
person in a gorilla suit walking onto the basketball court.
3. Later, when the volunteers met with the researchers, many of them asked,
“What gorilla?”
4. By the end of the study, the researchers had learned that if it was unex-
pected, many people simply could not see it.
5. The way the human brain processes visual information may keep people
from using it wisely.
6. For example, if a car crosses into the lane facing oncoming traffi c, it may
not register in the mind of a driver who expects a routine trip.
7. A stop sign appearing at an intersection cannot prevent an accident if
drivers do not see it.
8. Before the psychology study, they thought that drivers who missed signs
of danger were simply not paying attention.
9. However, the study indicates that drivers make mistakes because they may
not see them ahead.
10. Traffi c safety regulations cannot make people’s brains and eyes work
differently, but they can make them wear seat belts.
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EDITING ESSAYS
504 Part Five • Other Grammar Concerns
Avoid Repetitious Pronoun References
In a repetitious pronoun reference, the pronoun repeats a reference to
a noun rather than replacing the noun. Remove the repetitious pronoun.
The police offi cer he told me I had not stopped at the sign.
The sign,
/
it was hidden by a tree.
Language Note: In some languages, like Spanish, it is correct to
repeat the noun with a pronoun. In formal English, however, a
pronoun is used to replace a noun, not to repeat it.
INCORRECT My son he is a police offi cer.
CORRECT My son is a police offi cer.
PRACTICE 5 AVOIDING REPETITIOUS PRONOUN REFERENCES
Correct any repetitious pronoun references in the following sentences.
EXAMPLE: The science of robotics it already has practical applications.
1. Robots they have been part of many science-fi ction classics, from The
Jetsons to Star Wars.
2. Is there any child who he hasn’t wished for a robot friend, a robot tutor,
or a robot maid?
3. In some industries, robots they are already part of the workforce.
4. Robots they make sushi for some Japanese fast-food restaurant chains.
5. Additionally, a factory might use robots to handle substances that they are
dangerous for humans to touch.
6. But business it is not the only area in which the robot population is
increasing.
7. Some children who they wanted a robot friend have already gotten their
wish.
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EDITING ESSAYS
Chapter 27 • Pronouns 505
8. Toy manufacturers have created a robot dog that it can respond to human
commands.
9. The robot dog it was fi rst on many holiday and birthday gift lists for chil-
dren in the past few years.
10. Also, some house-cleaning robots they are on the market; for example,
one vacuums fl oors.
Use the Right Type of Pronoun
As you can see on the chart on page 496, there are several types of
pronouns — subject pronouns, object pronouns, and possessive pronouns,
each of which has a different function.
Subject Pronouns
Subject pronouns serve as the subject of a verb.
She took my parking space.
I honked my horn.
Language Note: Some languages omit subject pronouns, but
English sentences always have a stated or written subject.
INCORRECT Hates cleaning.
CORRECT He hates cleaning.
■ For more on
subjects, see
Chapter 22.
Object Pronouns
Object pronouns either receive the action of a verb (the object of the
verb) or are part of a prepositional phrase (the object of the preposition).
OBJECT OF THE VERB Carolyn asked me to drive.
Carolyn gave me the keys.
OBJECT OF THE PREPOSITION Carolyn gave the keys to me.
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EDITING ESSAYS
506 Part Five • Other Grammar Concerns
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership. Note that you never need an
apostrophe with a possessive pronoun.
Giselle is my best friend.
That jacket is hers.
Certain kinds of sentences can make choosing the right type of pro-
noun a little more diffi cult — ones that have compound subjects or objects;
ones that make a comparison; and ones where you have to choose between
who or whom.
Pronouns Used with Compound Subjects and Objects
A compound subject has more than one subject joined by a conjunction
such as and or or. A compound object has more than one object joined
by a conjunction.
COMPOUND SUBJECT Tim and I work together.
COMPOUND OBJECT Kayla baked the cookies for Jim and me.
To decide what type of pronoun to use in a compound construction,
try leaving out the other part of the compound and the conjunction. Then,
say the sentence aloud to yourself.
Jerome and ( me / I ) like chili dogs.
[Think: I like chili dogs.]
The package was for Karen and ( she / her ).
[Think: The package was for her.]
When you are writing about yourself and others, always put the others
fi rst, choosing the correct type of pronoun.
INCORRECT Me and my friends went to the movies.
CORRECT My friends and I went to the movies.
[Sentence puts others fi rst and uses the subject pronoun, I]
INCORRECT Gene bought the tickets for I and my friends.
CORRECT Gene bought the tickets for my friends and me.
[Sentence puts others fi rst and uses the object pronoun, me]
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