ABSTRACT
Common Core Language Standard 3.1 addresses the importance of pronoun reference, emphasizing “pronoun-antecedent agreement” as part of a more general standard that states students should “demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking” (Common Core Standards, 2010). When talking with students about pronoun-antecedent agreement, I like to use the term “pronoun reference,” as it highlights the most important aspect of this concept: pronouns must clearly refer to particular antecedents. If a piece of writing does not have clear pronoun reference, readers will get so bogged down in trying to make sense of what a particular pronoun refers to that they can lose all sense of the narrative. Pronoun reference problems appear in all kinds of situations; when talking with a group of third graders about their Halloween adventures, I heard this example: “Josh went as Darth Vader for Halloween, and Dan dressed up like Yoda. His costume was awesome.” In this situation, the pronoun his was problematic; I didn’t know if it referred to Josh’s costume or Dan’s. Because the pronoun did not clearly refer to a particular antecedent, the audience was bound to be confused. I wanted to fully listen to more about the Halloween adventures of Josh and Dan, but the unclear pronoun reference distracted me. Figure 1.1 (page 4) summarizes some key points regarding pronoun reference.
