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Difficulty: EasyPronoun Clarity and Reference

During their trip to the local history museum, Leo and his father admired the collection of antique pocket watches. His father was especially fascinated by the intricate gears, while Leo preferred the hand-carved wooden cases. After spending nearly an hour examining them, they decided to visit the museum's gift shop.

Which of the following choices best clarifies the underlined word in the passage?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. the watchesAnswer
  3. C
    it
  4. D
    these things

Answer

the watches
Replacing the pronoun with the specific noun 'the watches' resolves the ambiguity. The original pronoun 'them' could refer to 'pocket watches,' 'gears,' or 'cases,' which makes the reference unclear. By specifying 'the watches,' the sentence clearly communicates what the subjects were examining.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined pronoun and its potential antecedents in the passage.
The pronoun is 'them'. The preceding sentences mention 'antique pocket watches', 'intricate gears', and 'wooden cases' as potential plural antecedents.
Before deciding on a correction, you must determine if the pronoun's reference is clear or ambiguous.
2
Evaluate the clarity of the pronoun 'them' in this context.
The reader cannot tell whether the father and son spent an hour examining the watches as a whole, just the gears, or just the wooden cases.
An ambiguous pronoun reference must be replaced by a specific noun to ensure clarity.
3
Select the option that replaces the pronoun with a specific, clear noun without adding wordiness.
Replacing 'them' with 'the watches' clearly identifies the object of their examination.
This is the most concise and precise correction that resolves the ambiguity.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
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Topics

Pronoun Clarity and Reference

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