Understanding Reference Words
Grammar Basics
3 Tips for Understanding Reference Words
1. Subject or object reference words can be different
Be careful – reference words can change depending on whether they are the subject or the object of the sentence.
For example:
Original phrase:
Overseas students often find university courses difficult.
With reference words:
They often find university courses difficult.
Overseas students often find them difficult.
they = the students | them = the courses
Original phrase:
Mr Smith works with Mr Jones every day.
With reference words:
He works with Mr Jones every day.
Mr Smith works with him every day.
he = Mr. Smith | him = Mr Jones
2. Singular and Plural
It’s common to use 3rd person plural pronouns (they, them) in reference to 3rd person singular subjects when the gender of that subject is unknown. In particular, when talking generally, you may find that some singular nouns take a plural reference word.
For example:
A teacher (singular) should always be prepared. They (plural) should also be punctual.
they = a teacher
3. Dummy Subjects: It and There
Sometimes ‘it’ can appear in a sentence but it is not a true reference word – it doesn’t refer back to anything specific. This is called the dummy subject.
For example:
It is commonly accepted that people with a higher education generally work in higher paid jobs.
it = the general situation
Don’t forget Subject Pronouns
(Nearly) all English phrases require a subject. This remains true also when it is not clear who or what the subject is. In these kinds of situations, we use it or there. It and There are so-called dummy subjects that are used in phrases where there isn’t a real subject, or where the subject is located elsewhere in the sentence, far away from the verb.
It is good (that) they make these changes.
It is good (that) they make these changes.
Students often forget it in complex phrases like the following:
✘ Residents in urban areas often deliberately dump their waste into nearby waterways and creates significant problems.
🗸 Residents in urban areas often deliberately dump their waste into nearby waterways and it creates significant problems.
Alternatively, in the above example, we can use this or that:
🗸 Residents in urban areas often deliberately dump their waste into nearby waterways and this creates significant problems.
🗸 Residents in urban areas often deliberately dump their waste into nearby waterways and that creates significant problems.