More than one possible antecedent

To prevent children from sucking their thumbs, some parents soak them in tabasco sauce. [Do the parents soak the children or the thumb s?] The doctors told their patients that they had serious problems. [Who had problems?] The corporate officers had failed to disclose the serious conflicts of interest caused by their ownership of several of T&J's suppliers. The possibility of a bankruptcy was a disaster for them. [Was the possibility a disaster for the officers, T&J, or the suppliers?]

Referring to an antecedent that is only implied. Notice that the confusing reference in this example is caused by using "this" alone. Use the pronoun "this" or "that" only with a noun following immediately.

The corporate officers had failed to disclose the serious conflict of interest raised by the possible bankruptcy of T&J's primary supplier. This was a disaster for the officers. [What was a disaster -- the failure to disclose, the conflict, or the possible bankruptcy?]

1. repeating the antecedent
   • The doctors told their patients that the patients had serious problems
2. re-arranging the material to place the referent close to the antecedent
   • Unclear:The store that had the big sale recently went bankrupt
   • Improved: The store that recently had the big sale went bankrupt
   • Improved: The store that had the big sale went bankrupt recently.
3. re-arranging the material to eliminate the need for the referent.

• The possibility of a bankruptcy was a disaster for the corporate officers who had failed to disclose the serious conflicts of interest caused by their ownership of several of T&J's suppliers.

Click on this link and in the section on pronoun reference, complete exercise one. For all sentences containing errors, write the correction.

This exercise is online and interactive; however, you may choose to dowload the pdf version if you prefer. In either case, write your answers on a separate sheet of paper.