Antecedent of Pronouns & Dangling Constructions

Antecedent of Pronouns & Dangling Constructions

Antecedent of Pronouns

A pronoun antecedent is a word that comes before a pronoun to which the pronoun refers.

Antecedent is the grammatical term used to refer to the noun that a pronoun replaces. When a pronoun is used in a sentence, it must have a corresponding noun at the beginning before it was used. This particular noun which is referred by the pronoun that comes later is known as the antecedent of that pronoun. And there should be a clear indication of that noun to which the pronoun would be referring to.

An antecedent comes before a pronoun. A pronoun and its antecedent must agree in gender and number. For example, if the antecedent is singular and female, the pronoun must refer to a single female. If the antecedent is plural, then the pronoun must be plural as well.

It is important to make sure that your pronouns have clear antecedents. Sometimes the references are vague and the reader cannot figure out to whom a pronoun is referring.

Following are example of antecedent and examples of how to use in a sentence :

1. Incorrect: Resources such solar power and hydroelectricity an economic benefit, as it may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Correct: Resources such solar power and hydroelectricity an economic benefit, as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Explanation: The pronoun "it" should be plural because its antecedent is the plural subject "resources." Only choices correcty change "it" to "they," The correct answer is "as they may reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

2. Incorrect: Most men who go to sporting events find it an enjoyable diversion.

Correct: Most men who go to sporting events find them are enjoyable diversion.

Explanation: The sentence as written contains one small error. "It," a singular pronoun, is used to refer to the plural "sporting events." In order to fix this issue, the pronoun needs to be made plural, which is done in "Most men who go to sporting events find them are enjoyable diversion."

3. Incorrect: Mitchell was one of the first members of corporate to realize that employees are most productive when he or she feels to be part of a team.

Correct: Mitchell was one of the first members of corporate to realize that employees are most productive when they feel as if they are part of a team

Explanation: The pronoun refers to employees, so the pronoun should be plural rather than the singular he or she.

4. Incorrect: Everyone must do their part, or the project will never be finished on time.

Correct: : Everyone must do his/her part, or the project will never be finished on time.

Explanation: "Everyone" is treated as a singular noun, therefore the proper prounoun to use with it is "his or her."

5. Incorrect: Although the basketball team used their star players, the match was lost.

Correct: Although the basketball team used its star players, the match was lost.

Explanation: Choose a pronoun that properly agrees with the subject. In this case, "basketball team" is singular, although it represents a group of people, and should be accompanied with "its," instead of "their."

Dangling Constructions

A dangling construction is a group of words that the writer intends to be a modifier for a noun or phrase but the noun or phrase is not actually in the sentence. Instead, the modifier erroneously describes a noun or phrase that is in the sentence - sometimes with humorous results.

A dangling modifier is one that modifies a word or phrase not clearly stated in the sentence; in other words, dangling modifiers only suggest, but do not name, the thing they modify. Phrases and clauses with dangling modifiers do not have expressed subjects. Consequently, readers expect them to modify the following noun or noun phrase. Because they do not do so, they are considered dangling modifiers.

Here are some examples :

1. Problem: Walking down the street, the sky was a brilliant blue. (Grammatically, this sentence implies that the sky was walking down the street, and this is clearly not the writer's intention).

Rewrite: While I was walking down the street, I noticed the sky was a brilliant blue.

2. Problem: To complete the survey properly, the form must be signed and sealed in the provided envelope. (The form is obviously not the one completing the survey).

Rewrite: To complete the survey properly, participants must sign and seal the form in the provided envelope.

3. Problem Shocked by the gravity of the situation, something had to be done. (Here, one could interpret that something is shocked by the gravity of the situation).

Rewrite: Shocked by the gravity of the situation, they knew they had to do something.

4. Problem: Like a kid in a candy store, his eyes were bulging at the sight of all they had to offer. (His eyes were clearly not like a kid in a candy store, though that is how the sentence is grammatically understood).

Rewrite: Like a kid in a candy store, he was so thrilled that his eyes were bulging at the sight of all they had to offer.

5. Problem: An expert in the field, the professor's work was the focus of the conference. (The professor and not his work is an expert in the field).

Rewrite: An expert in the field, the professor was the keynotes speaker and his work the focus of the conference.