Identifying Vague Pronouns

 Which sentence has a vague pronoun error?

• Armand visited George after his graduation ceremony had ended.
  
• The puppet show performed by Henry was undoubtedly his best creation yet.
  
• The dog ate all the food in its bowl and all the food in the kitty's bowl too.
  
• My dad spent the entire afternoon raking up all the leaves in our front and backyard.
  

Which has a vague pronoun.

• Amanda took her mother and three cousins to a second hand store to buy gifts.

• If you look carefully you can see when the magician puts the card up his sleeve.

• Will you take me to your leader?

• As Joe was talking to Sam, he started to cry.

Which one does NOT have a vague pronoun?

• Although the bike hit the tree, it was not damaged.

• The pirates left their gold in a hidden cave.

• Even though Jane invited Sue to the party, she was still upset.

• My aunt visited Paula; it was the first time she had ever left the state. 

Which has a vague pronoun?

• Despite the heat wave, they say Seattle is a cool city.

• Don't forget to write down your homework.

• The survivors were all lucky to be alive.

• His mother told him another story.

Miss Havisham lives with Estella in HER mansion. (This is vague. Who could "her" refer to in this sentence?)

• Miss Havisham

• Estella

• Miss Havisham and Estella

• mansion

Which contains a vague pronoun reference?

• Dad yelled at Rick, but he was just being silly.
•  Dad was just being silly when he yelled at Rick.

The musicians asked me to help put instruments back on the buses, but I can't find THEM. (This is vague. Who could "them" refer to in this sentence?)

• musicians, instruments, and buses

• musicians

• musicians and instruments

• instruments and buses

Before Sally puts fondant flowers on wedding cakes, she sprinkles THEM with sugar. (This is vague. Who could "them" refer to in this sentence?)

• Sally and flowers

• Sally and flowers and cakes

• flowers and cakes

Which sentence is written in the best way to avoid any vague pronouns?

• They showed skill in stone masonry to a high degree.

• All showed a high degree of skill in stone masonry.

• A high degree of stone masonry was shown by them.

• The Pueblo people showed a high degree of skill in stone masonry.

Which sentence is written in the best way to avoid any vague pronouns?

• Archaeologists are not sure why the Ancestral Pueblo people moved into the cliffs.

• The Ancestral Pueblo people do not know why they moved into the cliffs.

• It is unknown to them why the Ancestral Pueblo moved into the cliffs.

• Why the Ancestral Puebloans moved into the cliffs, they do not know.