Practice
Reference words: avoid repetition clearly
Sign in to saveA report can sound heavy when it repeats the same noun in every sentence. Reference words give the writer a shorter option. They work only when the reader can still identify the person, thing, or idea without stopping to guess.
Use reference words to connect sentences without repeating a noun, while keeping the intended person, thing, or idea clear.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
The committee rejected the proposal. This decision surprised the staff. /ðə kəˈmɪti rɪˈdʒektɪd ðə prəˈpəʊzəl. ðɪs dɪˈsɪʒən səˈpraɪzd ðə stɑːf/
The short answer
Name the person, thing, or idea first. Then use a pronoun, demonstrative, or relative word only when one earlier meaning is the obvious match. Repeat the noun when two possible matches would make the reference unclear.
The library extended its evening hours. This change helps students who work during the day.
Why it works: This change refers to the library's decision to extend its hours.
6 more examples
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The supplier sent revised prices. They arrived before the meeting.
They refers to the plural noun revised prices.
Not this:The supplier sent revised prices.
Itarrived before the meeting. What changes: It is singular, so it does not match the plural noun prices. -
The committee rejected the proposal. This decision surprised the staff.
The demonstrative phrase points to the committee's earlier decision.
Not this:The committee rejected the proposal.
Thissurprised the staff. What changes: This may be clear in a short exchange, but this decision names the idea more clearly in a written report. -
The company changed its travel policy, which reduced reimbursement delays.
Which refers to the earlier action of changing the travel policy.
Not this:The company changed its travel policy,
whoreduced reimbursement delays. What changes: Who refers to people, while which can refer to the earlier action or thing. -
Mina spoke to Elena after she finished the presentation.
She is unclear here because it could refer to Mina or Elena.
Not this:After Elena finished the presentation, Mina spoke to
her. What changes: The revised order makes Elena the person who finished, and her clearly refers to Elena. -
Several routes are available. The coastal one takes longer, but it avoids the city center.
One refers to a route, and it then refers to the coastal route.
Not this:Several routes are available. The
coastaltakes longer, but it avoids the city center. What changes: Coastal is an adjective here. It needs a noun or a substitute such as one. -
The interns submitted their notes. Those notes were added to the shared folder.
Those points back to the notes in the first sentence and keeps the noun visible.
Not this:The interns submitted their notes.
Thosewere added to the shared folder. What changes: Those can work when the reference is obvious, but those notes is clearer when a later reader may not know what those means.
Read the full guide
Start with the word that a shorter form will replace. Then look at the words around the reference word. If a reader can point to one clear earlier meaning, the reference is doing its job. If two earlier nouns fit, use the noun again or rewrite the sentence.
Find the word that a reference replaces
A reference word needs an earlier target. Name that target before you shorten it. In a clear sentence, the reader can identify the target without choosing between two possibilities.
The library extended its evening hours. This change helps students who work during the day.
This change refers to the decision about evening hours, not to the students.
What earlier idea does this change refer to?
It refers to the library extending its evening hours.
Match pronouns to the noun
A pronoun must match the noun it refers to. Check number first. Use it for one thing and they for more than one thing. Then check whether the meaning still makes sense.
The supplier sent revised prices. They arrived before the meeting.
They is plural and refers to revised prices.
The printer stopped because it was out of paper.
It refers to the singular noun printer.
Choose the pronoun: The files are ready. ___ are in the shared folder.
Use They. Files is plural.
Use this and those with enough detail
Demonstratives point to a thing or idea: this, that, these, and those. In a conversation, the situation may make the meaning clear. In a report or longer text, a demonstrative plus a noun often helps the reader find the right connection.
The committee rejected the proposal. This decision surprised the staff.
This decision tells the reader exactly what this means.
The interns submitted their notes. Those notes were added to the shared folder.
Those notes keeps the reference visible even after a pause or a new sentence.
Which is clearer in a formal email: This caused a delay or This system error caused a delay?
This system error caused a delay is clearer because it names the event.
Refer to an earlier action or idea
Some reference words point to more than a single noun. Which can refer to the result of a whole earlier clause. This can also point to an event, decision, or situation. Give the reader a nearby clause that makes the connection clear.
The company changed its travel policy, which reduced reimbursement delays.
Which refers to the company's action of changing the policy.
The bus was canceled. This meant that the team arrived late.
This refers to the cancellation, an earlier event.
What does which refer to in The app froze, which interrupted the call?
It refers to the app freezing, the whole earlier event.
Repair an unclear pronoun
An unclear reference can change the reader's understanding. This often happens when two people or things appear close together. Do not expect the reader to choose the intended person from context alone. Repeat a name, move the words, or use a more exact noun phrase.
Mina spoke to Elena after she finished the presentation.
She could mean Mina or Elena, so the sentence needs revision.
After Elena finished the presentation, Mina spoke to her.
The revised sentence makes Elena the person who finished.
How can you improve Sam emailed Jordan when he arrived?
Name the person who arrived: Sam emailed Jordan when Sam arrived, or Sam emailed Jordan when Jordan arrived.
Keep the connection close
A reference is easier to follow when its antecedent is nearby. Long lists, extra details, and a new subject can make a short word such as it or they hard to track. Repeat the noun when the sentence has moved away from the original topic.
Several routes are available. The coastal one takes longer, but it avoids the city center.
One first replaces route. It then has the nearby coastal route as its clear antecedent.
The survey included staff comments, budget figures, and repair dates. The budget figures were checked twice.
Repeating budget figures prevents it or they from pointing to the wrong item in the list.
When should you repeat a noun instead of using it or they?
Repeat the noun when more than one earlier noun could fit, or when the antecedent is too far away.
Before you go
Remember this
Name the main person, thing, or idea before you replace it. Match singular and plural pronouns carefully. Use demonstrative phrases when this or those alone would be too broad. Check each pronoun from the reader's point of view, and repeat the noun when the connection is uncertain.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Reference words: avoid repetition clearly"
What is a reference word?
A reference word gets its meaning from a person, thing, or idea already named in a text or conversation. Pronouns such as it and they, demonstratives such as this and those, and relative words such as which can all create these links.
The supplier sent revised prices. They arrived before the meeting.
What is an antecedent?
An antecedent is the word, phrase, or idea that a reference word points to. In The printer stopped because it was out of paper, printer is the antecedent of it.
The supplier sent revised prices. It arrived before the meeting.
When is a pronoun unclear?
A pronoun is unclear when more than one earlier noun could be its antecedent. In Mina spoke to Elena after she finished the presentation, she could refer to either person. Repeat a name or change the word order.
The committee rejected the proposal. This decision surprised the staff.
Should I use this or this plus a noun?
Use this alone when the object or idea is obvious from the immediate context. Use a phrase such as this decision or this problem when the reader may need help identifying the exact idea.
The committee rejected the proposal. This surprised the staff.
Can which refer to a whole clause?
Yes. Which can refer to an earlier action or situation, not only to a single noun. In The bus was canceled, which delayed the team, which refers to the cancellation and its result. Keep the clause close enough for the relationship to stay clear.
The company changed its travel policy, which reduced reimbursement delays.