Correcting Vague Pronouns in English Writing
Question:
Which sentence corrects the vague pronoun in the underlined sentence?
Marsha and Luanne used to take turns walking their dog. But after she got a new job, they decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
A. But after they got a new job, she decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
B. But after Marsha and Luanne got a new job, she decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
C. But after Marsha got a new job, they decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
D. But after she got a new job, Marsha and Luanne decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
Final answer:
The correct sentence that fixes the vague pronoun is option D: But after she got a new job, Marsha and Luanne decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day.
Explanation:
The sentence that corrects the vague pronoun in the underlined sentence is option D: But after she got a new job, Marsha and Luanne decided to hire a dog walker to come by every other day. This sentence clearly identifies that Marsha and Luanne made the decision to hire a dog walker after Marsha got a new job, providing a clear and specific reference to the subject.
More Information on Correcting Vague Pronouns:
In English writing, it is important to avoid vague pronouns that could confuse the reader about the subject of the sentence. When using pronouns like 'she,' 'he,' 'they,' it must be clear to whom these pronouns refer. In the given example, the vague pronoun 'she' is corrected by specifying that Marsha got a new job, leading to a clear understanding of the subject within the sentence.
By being mindful of vague pronouns and ensuring clear references to subjects, your writing will be more precise and effectively communicate your ideas to the reader.