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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jim and Tommy were late to work for the fourth time that week, since they had to pick her up at the airport and her flight was late. No error
This is an ambiguous pronoun. We are not sure to whom "her" refers. The sentence should use her name.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Many experts advocate changing how children learn to write, theorizing that they will have more success in the long run. No error
"They" is an ambiguous pronoun reference—it could refer to either "experts" or "children."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Bianca and the sister were at odds because although they were members of the same family, they felt differently about their parents' divorce. No error
The error in this sentence arises where we are told that Bianca and her sister disagree over their parents' divorce, but her sister is presented abstractly; the correct usage of "her sister" allows the individual mentioned to be presented in relation to Bianca. Without the "her," we cannot be certain what the relation is, although it is clearly indicated elsewhere in the sentence.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Mr. Harris told Mr. Jarvins that at the latest staff meeting, the owner of the company expressed a strong interest in promoting him to a senior executive position. No error
This sentence contains an ambiguous pronoun. We don't know whether "him" refers to Mr. Harris or Mr. Jarvins, so "him" is the error in the sentence. If we wanted to fix the error, we would have to replace "him" with the unique name of the person—Mr. Harris or Mr. Jarvins—being considered for the promotion.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Since Molly won first place and Meg won second, she was honored at the awards ceremony after dinner. No error
This sentence has an ambiguous pronoun. To whom does "she" refer? You could fix this either by referring to both women with "they," if it is indeed the case that both were honored at the awards ceremony after dinner, or by replacing "she" with the name of the woman being specified.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
When Susanne and Patricia were called on stage as the finalists for the debate competition, she knew who was going to win. No error.
"She" contains this sentence's error. As Susanne and Patricia are both girls, the pronoun "she" is ambiguous. Also, the "she" could refer to another person—perhaps someone observing the competition in the audience. We don't know if the she refers to Susanne, Patricia, or someone else, and this makes the sentence's meaning unclear.
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Select the underlined word that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Jane and Annabel were so focused on the music the DJ was playing that she lost track of time. No error
While the subjects of the sentence are "Jane and Annabel," the sentence later uses the pronoun "she," which could refer to either of the women. We can correct this ambiguity by replacing "she" with "they."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
We were confused when our Physics and Calculus teachers were not around during lunch, but then we heard that he was in a faculty meeting. No error
The writer uses the pronoun "he" in this sentence, which is ambiguous because there are two teachers. The writer should use the pronoun "they," which is plural and thus agrees with its plural antecedent "teachers."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Monica had never been late for work before, but after escorting her cousins to the train station, she found herself running two hours late because he had gotten lost. No error
The sentence includes an ambiguous pronoun, "he." From the information presented, it is impossible for the reader to determine which of Monica's two cousins got lost. To correct the sentence, the writer could specify this information by giving the names of the two cousins (e.g. "her cousins Tom and Harry") and then specify which one had gotten lost.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Regina and Katherine have been best friends since the third grade, so it was no surprise to anyone that she ended up going to the same college. No error.
Since the subject of the sentence is "Regina and Katherine," the pronoun "she" is used incorrectly here and does not reflect that the writer is referring to two women. The writer should replace "she" with the plural pronoun "they."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Kenny told Pete that the angry chickens on Mr. Peterson's farm would have nothing to do with him. No error.
The pronoun "him" is ambiguous here, as the reader cannot say for certain whether the "him" is referring to Kenny or Pete. To fix the error, we would need to replace "him" with the unique name of the person that the angry chickens would have nothing to do with.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Many politicians support granting immunity from deportation to the children of illegal immigrants, believing that they will use the opportunities to create better lives here in America. No error.
The pronoun "they" is ambiguous in this sentence, as it is not clear if it is referring to the politicians or the children of illegal immigrants.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Even the famous director was nervous about giving the belligerent actor his notes. No error
As written above, the sentence contains an ambiguous pronoun. It is unclear whether "his" refers to the director's notes or the actor's notes.
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Select the underlined portion of the sentence below that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
Mark and Paul are both very good at baseball, but I think he is better. NO ERROR
Because both "Mark" and "Paul" could potentially be the antecedent of "he" in the second part of the sentence, "he" is an ambiguous pronoun. It should be corrected to one of their names, so that we know who the speaker is talking about specifically.
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Select the underlined portion of the sentence below that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
After breaking the plate on the floor, I had to clean it up. NO ERROR
Because both "plate" and "floor" could potentially be the antecedent of "it" in the second part of the sentence, "he" is an ambiguous pronoun. It should be corrected to one of the objects, so that we know what the speaker is talking about specifically.
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As Amy discussed the move with her mom, she knew that the potential loss of friends was a large, unspoken part of her strong emotional reaction to it. No error
The word "her" in this sentence is a problem because it is an ambiguous pronoun. Pronouns stand in for nouns and ambigious pronouns are ones where it's not clear which noun they are standing in for. In this case, since both Amy and her mother are female, it is unclear whether Amy or her mom is the one having the strong emotional reaction to the move. A revised sentence might look like this: "As Amy discussed the move with her mom, she knew that the potential loss of friends was a large, unspoken part of her mother's strong emotional reaction to it."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
As Jarvis and Henry approached the next house on the block, the hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. No error
"His" in this sentence is an ambiguous pronoun: it's not clear from the sentence whether the person whose hairs are standing up is Jarvis, Henry, or some unknown observer. This should be corrected by referring explicitly to the person being referred to instead of using "his."
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no error at all.
You'll see a huge tree next to a water tower one mile down the road; climb it and you'll find the next clue! No error
These directions are unclear because they contain an ambiguous pronoun: "it" could refer to either "the tree" or "the water tower." The unclear pronoun should be replaced by a clear and specific reference to one object or the other.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no errors at all.
As he touched the pen to the paper, it suddenly burst into flame, eliciting a shriek of terror from him. No error
Pronouns should always refer to a clear and specific antecedent. In this sentence, it's unclear what burst into flame. Was it the pen he was holding, or the paper he was writing on? The sentence should be revised to specify one or the other.
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Select the underlined word or phrase that needs to be changed to make the sentence correct. Some sentences contain no errors at all.
Sally and Linda both enjoyed their day of shopping, but she was secretly troubled by the implications of her friend's speech. No error
Pronouns should always refer to a clear and specific antecedent. In this example, it's unclear which woman is supposed to be referred to by "she;" is it Sally or Linda? The sentence should be rewritten to make it clear which of them is the subject of the sentence and has doubts about her friend.
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