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ambiguous pronoun reference

A pronoun that could point to more than one antecedent, leaving the reader to guess.

Ambiguous reference occurs when a pronoun has two or more equally available antecedents and nothing in the grammar decides between them; vague reference occurs when a pronoun (often this or it) points at an entire idea rather than any single noun.

Examples

  • When John talked to Mike, he was angry — he could be John or Mike.

See also

antecedent pronoun-antecedent agreement
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