Page 769 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
P. 769
Pronoun Errors
1 Identify various pronoun errors.
Each sentence following contains a pronoun error. Can you figure out
why the pronouns in bold type are incorrect?
The coffee shop usually closes at midnight, but on Sundays, they
close at 6:00 P.M.
Josh told Marquez that he needed to work on his social skills.
Clara did not get the job she wanted, but what can you expect if
you go to an interview in jeans and a ripped T-shirt?
Each of the sentences above contains a pronoun error that could
cause confusion for the reader. The first sentence contains an error in
pronoun agreement. The pronoun they is plural, but the word it refers
to is singular. Here is the corrected sentence:
The coffee shop usually closes at midnight, but on Sundays, it
closes at 6:00 P.M.
