Pronouns: Be careful with placement

By Dick Thien
Chips Quinn Writing Coach

1. When you use a pronoun, make sure it has a clear referent word (called an antecedent). Readers will assume that the pronoun will refer to the noun nearest it.

Not: The room is 11 by 20 feet. The floor is concrete and cold. It is gray and stands about 5 1/2 feet tall.

But: The room is 11 by 20 feet. The floor is concrete and cold. The walls are about 5 1/2 feet high and are painted gray.

2. Be especially careful with placement of relative pronouns. A second noun should not intervene between such a pronoun and its antecedent. The most common relative pronouns are "that," "which" and "who."

Not: The rock originally was placed in front of the library on the campus, which is now Architecture Hall.

But: The rock originally was put on the campus in front of the library, which is now Architecture Hall.

3. Writers often use a singular noun, such as university, grocery store or city council, but often then refer to it as a "they." They should either use the singular "it" or make the referent word plural (by writing university administrators, grocery store owners or city council members).

Not: The Home Sweet Home Mission will ask for a change in the zoning code to allow them to build a new mission on a sit now zoned for industrial use.

But: The Home Sweet Home Mission will ask for a change in the zoning code to allow it to build . . .

Or: The directors of the Home Sweet Home Mission will ask for a change in the zoning code to allow them to build . . .

4. Do not try to make a pronoun stand for a general idea; a pronoun must refer to one particular word that has preceded it.

Not: He never wore a hat, which his wife hated.

But: His wife hated that he never wore a hat.

5. When referring to people -- or to animals with personal names -- use who rather than that.

Not: The student that stole my pack will pay.

But: The student who stole my pack will pay.

Note: Some good writers, especially British ones, intermix "who" and "that" willy-nilly, but you can't be wrong if you reserve "who" for people -- and you'll be in agreement with The Associated Press style.

6. Use "that" for clauses that are not set off by commas and "which" for those that are (when people are referred to, "who" handles either case).

EXAMPLES:
The car that I bought fell apart.
The car, which I bought from a guy in a bar, proved to be stolen.

Note: Some editors are purists on that distinction; others say to follow your ear. You still can't be wrong by making the suggested distinction, except in cases where repetition is bothersome.

A rule that demands that it be followed without exception is a poor rule.

TRICKY PAIRS

Liable     Libel
Libel means a published defamation of someone's character. Liable is used to mean an undesirable likelihood (this ship is liable to sink), or an unwelcome assignment of responsibility (you will be held liable for your actions). Of editors polled by Indiana University, 85 percent objected to using liable to mean likely, unless the negative connotation is present. To please such editors, do not use liable in sentences like "Our team is liable to win."

Hanger     Hangar
A hanger holds something up. A hangar holds an airplane.

USAGE TRICKS AND TRAPS

Indefinite Pronouns

Writers often use the wrong verb with indefinite pronouns because they often sound plural. The indefinite pronouns are: "anyone," "each," "either," "everybody," "everyone," "neither," "nobody," "none" and "no one."

No matter what prepositional phrase is attached to one of these words, it remains singular.

EXAMPLES:
Everyone is going.
Each of us is responsible.

None, however, is a special case. Most usage experts say that the word often is properly considered plural. The Associated Press holds that none is singular when used in such combinations as "none of us is going." AP makes a hard-to-see distinction, however, and calls for a plural verb in cases where none is used in the sense of no two or no amount.

EXAMPLES:
None of the consultants agree on the same approach.
None of the taxes have been paid.

Dangling Modifiers
When an adjective phrase is not followed by the noun it is intended to describe, then the phrase dangles. Often, a participial phrase is involved, as in "Looking at his background, Tom seemed well qualified." Readers, instinctively following the grammar code of the language, expect Tom to be doing the looking (as in "Looking out the window, Tom saw . . ." and "Looking the picture of health, Tom walked . . .").

Not: Having visited California five times before, the weather disappointed her.

But: Having visited California five times before, she was disappointed with the weather.

Past participles also often dangle:

Not: Perched prettily on the branches, we saw the first robins of spring.

But: We saw the first robins of spring, perched . . .

Appositives also are often left dangling.

Not: A mild-mannered family man and faithful United Way employee for 32 years, Geiger's bosses say he distinguished himself in hard jobs.

But: According to his bosses, Geiger, a mild-mannered family man and faithful United Way employee for 32 years, distinguished himself in a hard job.

SPELLING WORDS

existence
occasion
calendar
pavilion

About the column

Write It Right is updated regularly. Have a suggestion for a future column, contact Dick Thien.

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