Language Fundamentals
Pronoun–Antecedent Clarity
Make sure each pronoun clearly refers to one noun.
What it is
Before & after
“Ambiguous: "When managers meet with employees, they often have concerns" (who has concerns?)”
“Clear reference: "When managers meet with employees, the employees often express concerns"”
When you’ll use it
Project updates: Clarifying "John told Mark he should revise it" (who should revise what?)
Meeting discussions: Avoiding "The team and clients met, and they were satisfied" (which group was satisfied?)
Performance reviews: Preventing "Sarah worked with Lisa on her presentation" (whose presentation?)
Email communication: Clarifying "The proposal and contract were reviewed, and it needs changes" (which document?)
Pro tip
If a pronoun could point to two people, name the person.
Questions & answers
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