Sometimes a pronoun has no antecedent. In the following sentences, the pronouns who and I have no antecedents, while the other pronoun has one: "Who did the mischief?" "I did."

Although sometimes an antecedent is not needed, a pronoun should generally refer clearly to a definite antecedent.

A school boy wrote this sentence: "Many students are interested in athletics, but they lack this in their school work." By the pronoun this he meant interest, but the noun interest has been suggested only. Either of these sentences is correct : Many students are interested in athletics, but they lack interest in school work. Many students have an interest in athletics, which they lack in school work.

A grammar grade student wrote this sentence: "Our school is filled to overflowing, but they are getting new teachers" A noun such as superintendent or school board should have been used in place of the pronoun they to make the meaning definite. This indefinite use of they is a common error.

In the following sentence it is impossible to tell which noun is the antecedent of the pronoun she: Mary told her mother that she was mistaken. Show that the sentence may be made clear by changing the indirect to a direct quotation.

Exercise 195

Show that each sentence fails to be clear because some pronoun does not refer definitely to an antecedent. Correct the sentences. It will often be necessary to substitute a noun for a pronoun or a direct for an indirect quotation.

1. The football team was cheered loudly, which was heard blocks away.

2. When a cable is broken, it is located by latitude and longitude.

3. Mr. Brown said to his friend that he had been deceived.

4. We write letters because we cannot talk to them personally.

5. If you want to be a bookkeeper, you ought to come to this school, because they teach bookkeeping here.

6. Our school started Monday. It is a grand building.

7. Our work is well started, but they have to get some things for the manual training classes.

8. The numbers of the rooms are on our cards, and you have to find the rooms from the numbers.

9. Mary asked her mother if she could help her.

10. Mary's teacher said that she might bring a friend to school that afternoon.

11. Freight trains are not allowed to run on this track, but they are permitted to run trains of three express cars.

12. In this section of the state we have decided that Minnesota 13 and Model Dent will outyield all other varieties, and if they are planted by June 1 they will be assured of an excellent crop of corn by September 1.

13. The boys called to the girls that they were late.

14. John's father told him that he was proud of what he had accomplished.