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Rhetorical Structure and Cohesion

2 questions

Question 1Question →

Read the following sentence from a draft of an argumentative essay:

"Los ciudadanos deben exigir más a sus políticos porque su falta de responsabilidad es inaceptable."

Which of the following best describes the primary issue with pronominal cohesion in this sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: The possessive adjective "su" creates an ambiguous reference because it is unclear whether the lack of responsibility belongs to the citizens or the politicians.

Answer

The possessive adjective "su" creates an ambiguous reference because it is unclear whether it refers to the citizens or the politicians.
The sentence suffers from poor cohesion because the possessive adjective 'su' (their) points back to two possible plural antecedents: 'los ciudadanos' (the citizens) or 'sus políticos' (their politicians). A reader cannot be certain whose lack of responsibility is being criticized.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronouns and possessive adjectives used in the sentence.
The sentence uses the possessive adjectives 'sus' (referring to the citizens' politicians) and 'su' (referring to someone's lack of responsibility).
Identifying cohesive devices is the first step in evaluating pronominal cohesion.
2
Identify possible antecedents for the second possessive adjective, 'su'.
Both 'los ciudadanos' (the citizens) and 'políticos' (politicians) are third-person plural nouns mentioned before 'su'.
Pronouns and possessive adjectives must refer back to a clear, previously mentioned noun (the antecedent).
3
Evaluate the clarity of the anaphoric reference.
Because 'su' can mean 'their' and there are two different 'their' groups in the sentence, it is impossible to know definitively whose lack of responsibility is unacceptable.
Clear anaphoric reference requires a single, unambiguous antecedent to maintain cohesion and meaning.

Key Concept

Ambiguity in Spanish third-person possessive adjectives ('su', 'sus') and the need for precise anaphoric reference to maintain clarity.

Hints

1
Look closely at the possessive adjectives in the sentence, particularly in the second half.
2
Find the word 'su'. What noun does this possessive adjective refer back to?
3
Notice that there are two groups of people mentioned earlier in the sentence ('ciudadanos' and 'políticos'). Which one does 'su' belong to?

Practice More

Review how to use prepositional phrases (de + pronoun/noun) to clarify ambiguous third-person possessives.

Alternative Method

To fix this ambiguity, a writer should replace the ambiguous 'su' with a more specific prepositional phrase. For example: '...porque la falta de responsabilidad de los políticos es inaceptable' or '...porque la falta de responsabilidad de ellos es inaceptable.'
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 2Question →

Review the following sentence from a Spanish essay draft:

"Marta visitó a su abuela en el hospital porque ella estaba muy enferma."

The pronoun "ella" creates an ambiguous anaphoric reference because it could grammatically refer to either Marta or her grandmother. Which of the following revisions correctly uses a relative pronoun to eliminate this ambiguity and clearly state that the grandmother was the one who was sick?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Marta visitó a su abuela, quien estaba muy enferma, en el hospital.

Answer

Marta visitó a su abuela, quien estaba muy enferma, en el hospital.
The correct revision uses the relative pronoun 'quien' (who) directly following the noun 'abuela' (grandmother). In Spanish grammar, placing a relative pronoun immediately after a noun creates a strong, unambiguous anaphoric reference, making it perfectly clear that the grandmother is the subject of the dependent clause ('estaba muy enferma').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the source of the ambiguity in the original sentence.
The pronoun 'ella' could refer to two different feminine singular nouns: 'Marta' or 'abuela'.
Anaphoric references must point to a single, clear antecedent to maintain rhetorical cohesion.
2
Determine the required grammatical goal.
The revised sentence needs to directly link the state of being sick ('estaba muy enferma') specifically to the grandmother ('abuela').
The question specifically asks to clarify that the grandmother was the one who was sick.
3
Evaluate the grammatical tools available to create a clear reference.
Using a relative clause with 'quien' placed directly after 'abuela' explicitly and unambiguously links the two.
Relative pronouns create strong anaphoric links directly to the immediately preceding noun.

Key Concept

Anaphoric reference and pronominal cohesion require pronouns to have a single, unambiguous antecedent. Relative pronouns like 'quien' can be used to directly link a dependent clause to a specific noun, eliminating ambiguity.

Hints

1
Identify the two people mentioned in the original sentence that 'ella' could grammatically replace.
2
Consider which type of pronoun allows you to directly attach a descriptive dependent clause to a specific noun without starting a new independent clause.
3
Look for the option that places a relative pronoun (like 'quien') immediately next to the word 'abuela'.

Practice More

Practice identifying ambiguous pronouns in paragraphs that contain multiple subjects of the same gender.

Alternative Method

Another way to fix this ambiguity without using a relative pronoun would be lexical repetition: 'Marta visitó a su abuela en el hospital porque la abuela estaba muy enferma.'
Estimated Time:45s
Rhetorical Structure and Cohesion Practice Questions — AP Spanish Language and Culture | Examkin