代词，作为写作中最常用到的词，也是同学们最常用错的词。

　　今天先看一个同学的问题：

　　很不幸的是，2个都是错误的。都犯了 指代不清 vague pronoun reference 的错误。

　　大家都知道代词是用来代替前文出现过的名词。但是大家容易困惑的是：

　　1. 句子 or 词组，可以被看成是名词，用代词指代吗?

　　2. 代词，可以指代不是名词的其他词，比如形容词，动词吗?

　　3. 当句子中出现了2个名词以上，如何指代?

　　比较复杂，所以老师会用3篇文章，来跟大家逐一讲解。

　　首先看第一个问题:

　　句子or词组，可以用代词指代吗?

　　在北美，是不可以的。 这也是GMAT语法的常考语法点。

　　"A pronoun must always refer to a single, clear, unmistake Noun."(1)代词指代的是单个，清晰，无误的名词。

　　所以，

　　Tom was always unprepared for class. It made his teacher increasingly mad.

　　Tom was always unprepared for class. This made his teacher increasingly mad.

　　Tom was always unprepared for class, which made his teacher increasingly mad.

　　这里的it. this, 甚至which 都是错误的。因为他们都被用来指代一个用整个句子表达的观点(an idea expressed in an entire sentence or statement), 这违背了代词必须指代一个明确的名词的规则。

　　如何修改了?(2)

　　1. 用名词代替代词 replace it with a noun:

　　Tom was always unprepared for class, and his constant unpreparedness drove his teacher crazy.

　　2. 在this 后面加一个名词：

　　Tom was always unprepared for class, and this habit drove his teacher crazy.

　　3. 合并成一个句子，减少代词：

　　Tom's constant unpreparedness made his teacher increasingly mad.

　　4. 在which 前加一个名词：

　　Tom was always unprepared for class, a habit which drove his teacher crazy.

　　其实大家可以看出，以上修改的核心是，要么用一个名词来概括前面整个句子，要么在代词前加了一个具体的名词。来符合代词的使用原则-- 必须指代明确具体的名词。

　　再看一个例子(3)：

　　Meg telephoned Howard yesterday to explain why she had not attended the meeting the day before. This made Howard angry.

　　这里的this, 被用来指代前面整个句子，当然也是错误的。因为读者并不能知道Howard生气到底是因为以下的哪一个：

　　Meg telephoned,

　　Meg telephoned yesterday, or

　　Meg had not attended the meeting the day before

　　所以，还是指代不清。

　　如何修改了?

　　1.用名词代替代词：

　　Meg telephoned Howard ...before. Meg's absence made...

　　or:

　　Meg telephoned Howard ...before. Meg's late call made...

　　2. 合并句子，减少代词：

　　Because Meg telephoned Howard yesterday to explain why she had not attended the meeting the day before, Howard became very angry.

　　or:

　　Meg's telephone call yesterday to explain why she had not attended the meeting the day before made Howard very angry.

　　特别注意：

　　在英式英语中，定语从句的连词which, 是可以用来指代一个观点idea 和句子sentence的。

　　比如，在 British Council 网站上有这么一个例子(4)：

　　I met Rebecca in town yesterday, which was a nice surprise.

　　这里的which 就指代了前面一整句。所以雅思考试中，这样写是可以的。在托福考试中，这样写也没有错。

　　但是建议大家，尤其是还在备考GMAT的同学，就不要这样用了。