GED Reasoning Through Language ArtsLanguage Conventions and UsageHard
A student is proofreading a research paper and finds a sentence with an unclear pronoun reference. Which sentence demonstrates clear pronoun-antecedent agreement?
- AWhen the professor gave the student her feedback, she was relieved.
- BThe manager told the assistant that he would need to finish the task.
- CThe committee members submitted their reports after discussing it.
- DAlthough the computer had a virus, it was still functioning well.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Although the computer had a virus, it was still functioning well.
Option D clearly shows pronoun-antecedent agreement: 'it' refers unambiguously to 'the computer'. In option A, 'she' could refer to the professor or the student. In option B, 'it' incorrectly refers to 'reports' (plural). In option C, 'he' could refer to the manager or the assistant, creating ambiguity.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 'She' could refer to either the 'professor' or the 'student', creating ambiguity in the pronoun reference.
- B. 'He' could refer to either 'the manager' or 'the assistant', leading to an unclear pronoun reference.
- C. 'It' is singular, but its antecedent 'reports' is plural, creating an agreement error.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it refers to) in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine/neutral). It must also have a clear and unambiguous reference.
- Pronoun and antecedent must match in number (singular/plural).
- Pronoun and antecedent must match in gender (he/she/it).
- The antecedent must be clear and unambiguous.
- Avoid vague pronoun references.
Memory trick: Pronoun and leader, always agree, no misreader.