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Indefinite Pronoun Reference and Ambiguous Pronoun Reference

Indefinite Pronoun Reference and Ambiguous Pronoun Reference. (Seen on an advertisement for a vacuum cleaner): Don't kill your wife with work. Do it with electricity. Indefinite Pronoun Reference. Indefinite means not clear .

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Indefinite Pronoun Reference and Ambiguous Pronoun Reference

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  1. Indefinite Pronoun Reference and Ambiguous Pronoun Reference (Seen on an advertisement for a vacuum cleaner): Don't kill your wife with work. Do it with electricity.

  2. Indefinite Pronoun Reference • Indefinite means not clear. • To avoid any confusion for the reader, every personal pronoun should refer clearly to a definite antecedent. • Indefinite:Itsays in the paper that a strike is probable. • What is it? • Better:The paper says that a strike is probable. • Indefinite: Harry wants to run for office because it is exciting. • What is exciting? • Better: Harry wants to run for office because politics is exciting.

  3. Indefinite Pronoun Reference and “You” • The pronoun “you” is sometimes used when it is not meant to refer to the person being spoken to. The effect is often confusing. • Rather than use “you,” use a third person pronoun. • Indefinite: In that course you have fewer exams. • Better: In that course there are fewer exams. • Indefinite: From a single corn kernel you can grow a plant. • Better: From a single corn kernel one may grow a plant.

  4. Ambiguous Pronoun Reference • Ambiguous means “having two or more possible meanings.” • If the pronoun could refer to more than one word in the sentence, it is an ambiguous reference. • This often occurs when a noun or pronoun falls between a pronoun and its true antecedent.

  5. Ambiguous Reference Practice • Ambiguous: • Take the books off the shelves and dust them. • Dust what? The books? The shelves? • Better: • Dust the books after you take them off the shelves. • Ambiguous: • Vince told Jeff he won the prize. • Who won the prize? Vince? Jeff? • Better: • Vince told Jeff, “I’ve won the prize.” • Ambiguous: • Before they could get the rocket off the pad, it had to be repaired. • What has to be repaired? The pad? The rocket? • Better: • They had to repair the rocket before they could get it off the pad.

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