Which of the following contains a vague pronoun reference?
Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. The operator promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene. Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. They promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene.
When writing, make sure to avoid vague pronoun references. A vague pronoun reference occurs when a pronoun could refer to more than one possible antecedent.
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The pronoun she could refer to either Lisa or Kim, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
Vague pronoun references can be corrected in one of two ways:
1. Replace the pronoun with its correct antecedent:
When Lisa and Kim finally landed, Lisa breathed a sigh of relief.
2. Rewrite the sentence:
Lisa breathed a sigh of relief when she and Kim finally landed.
A vague pronoun reference also occurs when they, them, their, theirs, it, or its is used without its antecedent.
They say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The pronoun they is used without its antecedent, so the meaning of the sentence is unclear.
This problem can be fixed by replacing the pronoun with its missing antecedent.
The advertisements say that this nail polish dries in less than five minutes.
The second answer choice contains a vague pronoun reference. The pronoun they is used without its antecedent.
The first answer choice shows a possible correction for the vague pronoun reference. They has been replaced with the operator.
Jane had witnessed a crime, so she made a call to report it. The operator promptly dispatched police to investigate the scene.