Grade 6 Fall — Argumentative Writing, Claim-Evidence-Warrant (Toulmin Lite), Counterclaim Acknowledgment, and Pronoun Mastery
English · GR G6 eng.g6.f.gr.vague_pronouns

Recognize and correct vague pronouns (CCSS L.6.1.d)

Apply the antecedent rule (MG-10): every it/this/that/which must point to a SPECIFIC noun within 1 sentence. When two nouns precede a pronoun, the referent must be unambiguous. Audit move: highlight every it/this/that/which/they; ask 'WHAT does this refer to?'; if unclear, fix by adding the noun ('this decision' / 'this policy') or by rewriting the sentence.

Mastery threshold
90%
Min instances
12
Typical minutes
35
Spaced intervals (days)
1, 3, 7, 14, 30, 60
Prereqs
Successors
  • eng.g7.s.gr.pronoun_antecedent_advanced
    (not yet loaded)
Common misconceptions
  • Uses 'this' to refer to a whole previous sentence without a specific antecedent noun ('The school adopted uniforms. This was controversial.' — this = ?). Fix: 'This decision/policy/move was controversial.'
  • Uses 'she/he/they' with two prior nouns of the same person/number ('Maya told Sara that she had won' — she = Maya or Sara?). Fix: name the referent or rewrite as direct quote.

Exercise pool (2)

Diff Stem Type
3 Find and fix vague pronouns in: (1) 'The school adopted uniforms. This was controversial.' (2) 'Maya told Sara that she had won.' (3)... fix vague pronouns
4 Audit this paragraph for vague pronouns. Highlight each pronoun. Draw arrow to antecedent. Fix any vague references. 'The school adopted... antecedent arrow audit full paragraph