Pronouns and Antecedents Flashcards
Antecedent/referent
noun which a pronoun refers to
-> we can identify the pronouns and see what the pronouns refer to
If a repetition of a noun is required to clarify the meaning of a sentence
the repetition is not considered redundancy in the GMAT
Sometimes when there are multiple nouns in a sentence to which there are multiple nouns in a sentence to which the pronoun can refer to
which noun is the referent of the pronoun may be clear because meaning indicates which noun the pronoun refers to
i.e: This year, a record number of women are vying for the governorship and they are making a strong showing in the primaries
Issue #2: Pronoun’s antecedent is missing from the sentence
we may encounter sentences that feature a pronoun but lack an antecendent: there will be pronoun in the sentence but there will not be a corresponding noun
i.e: I am sure that they will arrive soon
(what’who does that they refer to)
Versions that are illogical, awkward, or ineffective because they contain pronouns without clear referents
are generally not preferred
They without a clear referent are
generally not prefered
i. e: After they discovered gene expression, great progress was made in developing understading of how to prevent and solve health issue
- > what does the they refer to?
i. e: Years of people’s smoking in Grand Centeral Terminal in New York left the ceiling covered in dark residue, its manginifecent color and designs obscured like that, until the terminal was restored in the 1990s. -> what does that refer to
The expletive it : correct
Although the project was challenging, it was clear that the team was making progress
-> this it stands in for the noun clasue -> “that the team was making progress”
Is it correct to delay the subject of a clause and use the expletive “it” as a stand in for the subject
Yup it’s!
- > Whenever Jim sings, it is apparent that he really enjoys performing. (correct)
- > In the past, people frequently burned leaves that they had gathered but it’s rare now.
Pronouns must agree with its
antecedent
- > singular agree with singular and plural agree with plural
i. e: The prices at the department store are set high, and it is marked down to normal levels on sale days
Pronouns that have each and every are always
singular
Possessive pronouns and indefenite pronouns must agree
in the number
-> Anyone can make a different in her or his community when working alone, but effecting change is often easier when one is working as a part of a like-minded collective
Everyone
Singular
-> Everyone has his own problems
If the pronouns is doing the action
a subject pronoun must be used
If the pronoun is being acted upon or is the object of a preposition
an object pronoun must be used
If the pronoun is indicating ownership
a possesive pronoun must be used
Using the object pronoun when the pronoun is actually acting as the subject of the sentence or the clause
is an error in the pronoun case
- > On the new chef’s first day, the restaurant owner and him spent hours talking about the menu
- – him?? should be he
When we have pronoun as part of a compound subject or object
we can drop the other part of the compound subject or object (the part that is not pronoun). Then we read it without the pronoun
-> Mary and (I/me) went to the beach
Answer: Mary and I went to the beach
-> The investigators assured the CEO that the team being sent would include the director and them
Who
used for person
-> That the department head would resign soon was obvious, but who would serve as the new head was not
Whom
-> refer to when the person receives an action
When to use who/whoever or whom/whomever
Replace he or him
him=m=whom
-> Each of the experts (who/whom) had analyzed the results was given an opportunity to speak. (He had analyzed…)
The word term is used in reference to the name of something
make sure that any pronouns meant to that thing refer to the thing itself and not the word “term”
- > The label “socialism” has long been avoided by many, but recent stories have made it more mainstream idealogy (incorrect)(
- > The label “socialism” has long been avoided by many, but recent stories have made socialism more mainstream idealogy
When the word such as “term”, “label” or “name” introduces a noun in quotes
be on the lookout for a pronouns-antecedent error in the sentence
- > People often say the brand name Coke when they order it in a restaurant, but what they actually are asking for is any cola (wrong) -> because you can’t order brand name
- > People often say the brand name Coke when they order cola in a restaurant, but what they actually are asking for is any cola (correct)
The writer may add unnecessary pronouns to incorrect answer choices to test-takers attention to detail
Rich Roll, once an unhealthy corporate lawyer, he decided to change his life at the age 40 -> incorrect (unnecessary he)
Correct: Rich Roll, once an unhealthy corporate lawyer, decided to change his life at the age -> correct
Sometimes in a sentence, a word that would serve as the intended antecedent of a pronoun is present but acting, not as a noun, but as another part of speech (usually adjective) and therefore cannot function logically as the antecedent.
- > I wish the bread were at the front of the store so that I could purchase it more conveniently. (incorrect)
- > Jason was nervous about the chemistry exam because it was not his best subject (wrong)
- –> Jason was nervous about the chemistry exam because the chemistry was not his best subject
Pronouns refer to the entire clause are
not preferred
-> My dog remained lost for days, which cause me to lose sleep until it was found (wrong)
–> My dog remained lost for days, causing me to lose sleep until it was found (correct)
=> Causing modifies the entire sentence
–> I lost sleep until my dog, which remained lost for days, was found
Is this correct?
-> The job was less difficult than Shane had expected it to be, but that didn’t make up for the lack of pay
No
Correct answer: The job was less difficult than Shan head expected it to be, but that didn’t make up for the lack of pay
Is this correct?
-> The road was severely damaged, and it made driving on it almost impossible
Wrong
Correct version: The road was severely damaged, and so, driving on it was almost impossible
: Driving on the road was almost impossible because it was severely damaged
Is this correct
–> Natural processes that occur at the Bonneville Salt causes them to have smooth surfaces, and that makes the area ideal for testing of high-speed land vehicles
No
-> that is incorrectly is
used
-> Correct version: Natural processes that occur at the Bonneville Salt causes them to have smooth surfaces making the area ideal for testing of high-speed land vehicles
Demonstrative pronouns takes place of a noun and always stands alone. A demonstrative adjective is always immediately followed by a noun, as adjective modify nouns
Example:
- > This bakery has a better selections of breads, bit that bakery has more exotic pastries
- > The pastries at the bakery on the corner are more exotics than those across the street
A personal pronouns such as “it”, “she”, “he”, “they” or “them”
directly refers to the antecedent it replaces
-> Once the plane reached 180 knots, it gracefully lifted off the runway -> it refers to the plane
Do “that”, and “those” refer directly to their antecedents
no
-> The speed of today’s cars well exceeds that of car of the 1950s
