Look Good in Print

This text will refresh your memory or introduce you to the common writing rules for Standard American English. It addresses the 22 most common errors found in writing. Applying and using the fundamentals of good writing will ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and achieves your intended purposes.

02A: SYNTAX AND WORD CHOICE

7. Avoid Ambiguous Pronoun References

Make sure each pronoun refers clearly to only one antecedent. This video contains clear advice for keeping your pronouns straight.

The video illustrates why we always avoid using pronouns without specifying who or what they refer to. Multiple nouns in a sentence may leave a reader wondering what exactly a pronoun is referring to.

NO: John's manager said he wasn't allowed to go.

(Who wasn't allowed, John or John's manager?)

YES: John's manager said John wasn't allowed to go.

NO: My team leader hates the new audit director; she constantly avoids her.

(Who is avoiding whom?)

YES: Stacy, my team leader, hates the new audit director; in fact, Stacy constantly avoids her.

NO: John and Laney rarely take time to debug their code and document the errors they find. This could create system-wide problems later.

(What does "this" refer to - the lack of debugging, the lack of documentation, or both?)

YES: John and Laney rarely take time to debug their code and document the errors they find. Buggy code could create system-wide problems later.

Ambiguous pronoun references are prone to be misinterpreted, which can have serious business consequences. Make sure you never use a pronoun if its referent is unclear.