Chapter 4-1-4: A pronoun should not refer to a title

Grammar > Using Pronouns > Pronoun Reference > No Reference to Titles

When you start your paper, do not write as if the title itself were part of the body of the paper. Often, the title will appear on a separate page, and your opening will be confusing. Imagine, for example, a paper entitled "How to Repair Green Pants": you should not begin the first paragraph with a sentence like

This is not as easy as it looks.

The writer probably wanted the pronoun "this" to refer to the idea of sewing knickers, but since the idea is not in the body of the paper itself, the reference will not make sense.


Maintaining this website requires alerts and feedback from the students that use it when they see a problem or have a suggestion.

Attribution information for this page: Written by Dorothy Turner PageID: eslid30764Page keywords: