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. Whether or not a state adheres to the Common Core Standards, pronoun reference is an essential tool for effective and clear writing: 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.
