Referential Words
AdvancedReferential words.
- A pronoun (it / they / this / such) replaces a noun mentioned before
- The antecedent = the noun a pronoun points to, usually earlier in the text
- Check the number: it singular · they plural — They sell fresh food = the supermarkets
文體小知識：Track what it, they and this point to.
§Text Passage
1The new shopping mall in our district opened last week, and my friends and I visited it on Saturday. It has six floors, and each one is full of shops. The ground floor has supermarkets. They sell fresh food at low prices, so many families shop there. The second floor sells clothes. It is always crowded because school uniforms are on sale. The third floor has a cinema. It shows the latest movies.
2The mall also has a food court on the fourth floor, and you can try different foods there. My friend Mandy said the noodles were tastier than the ones near our school. The fifth floor is a sports centre, where people play badminton and table tennis. This is my favourite place, because I can exercise after shopping. Some shops on the top floor sell pets and toys.
3Many people go to the mall on weekends. When you read about the mall, you must follow the pronouns: “it” refers to the mall or a floor, “they” refers to the supermarkets, and “this” refers back to the sports centre. A pronoun is a short word that replaces a noun. The noun that it refers to is called the antecedent. Sometimes a reference can be ambiguous, which means we cannot tell what “it” or “such” points to, so good writers avoid such unclear sentences.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
The new shopping mall in our district opened last week, and my friends and I visited it on Saturday.
我們區的新商場上星期開幕，我和朋友星期六去了逛。
It has six floors, and each one is full of shops.
商場有六層，每層都滿是店舖。
The ground floor has supermarkets.
地下有超級市場。
They sell fresh food at low prices, so many families shop there.
它們以低價售賣新鮮食品，所以很多家庭都去購物。
The second floor sells clothes.
二樓賣衣服。
It is always crowded because school uniforms are on sale.
那裡總是擠滿人，因為校服正在減價。
The third floor has a cinema.
三樓有戲院。
It shows the latest movies.
它放映最新的電影。
The mall also has a food court on the fourth floor, and you can try different foods there.
商場四樓還有美食廣場，你可以嚐到不同的食物。
My friend Mandy said the noodles were tastier than the ones near our school.
我的朋友文迪說那裡的麵比學校附近的好吃。
The fifth floor is a sports centre, where people play badminton and table tennis.
五樓是體育中心，人們在那裡打羽毛球和乒乓球。
This is my favourite place, because I can exercise after shopping.
這是我最喜歡的地方，因為購物後我可以做運動。
Some shops on the top floor sell pets and toys.
頂層有些店舖賣寵物和玩具。
Many people go to the mall on weekends.
很多人週末都會去這個商場。
When you read about the mall, you must follow the pronouns: “it” refers to the mall or a floor, “they” refers to the supermarkets, and “this” refers back to the sports centre.
閱讀關於商場的文章時，要追蹤代名詞：「it」指商場或某一層，「they」指超級市場，「this」則回指體育中心。
A pronoun is a short word that replaces a noun.
代名詞是代替名詞的短詞。
The noun that it refers to is called the antecedent.
它所代替的名詞稱為先行詞。
Sometimes a reference can be ambiguous, which means we cannot tell what “it” or “such” points to, so good writers avoid such unclear sentences.
有時指代會含糊不清，即我們無法確定「it」或「such」指向甚麼，所以好作者會避免這種不清晰的句子。
1Summary 重點摘要
Referential words.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
He, she, it, they.
What it refers to.
Before pronoun.
Thing.
Plural.
Near.
Like this.
Unclear.
3Step by step Steps
- Find antecedentThe antecedent is the nearest noun before the pronoun: They sell fresh food — They = the supermarkets (the sentence before: The ground floor has supermarkets).
- Check numberit is singular, they are plural: It has six floors (one mall); They sell fresh food (many supermarkets).
- Check genderhe for male, she for female, it for things: My friend Mandy… she said — Mandy is a girl, so she.
- Why pronounsA pronoun replaces an earlier noun to avoid repetition: It has six floors — it = the new shopping mall.
- this points backthis refers to what was just said: The fifth floor is a sports centre… This is my favourite place — this = the sports centre.
- Track floor by floorThe same it can change its target: The second floor sells clothes. It is always crowded — it = the second floor, not the whole mall.
- Ambiguity warningUnclear reference is bad writing: good writers avoid such unclear sentences. When two nouns compete for one it, be careful.
- Three-step drillSee it/they/this → look back for the noun → check number and sense: The ground floor has supermarkets. They sell fresh food. It works.
5Worked example Example
From the passage: 'My friends and I visited it on Saturday. It has six floors.' What do the two its refer to? Explain how you find the antecedent.
- Step 1: Spot the pronouns — it / they / this are short words that replace nouns.
- Step 2: The antecedent usually comes before — the first it = the new shopping mall (named in the previous sentence).
- Step 3: The second one, It has six floors, is also the mall — only the mall can have six floors.
- Step 4: Check the number — They sell fresh food = the supermarkets (plural matches they).
- Step 5: this points back — This is my favourite place = the sports centre on the fifth floor.
- Answer: Both its refer to the new shopping mall: the first it comes straight after visited, and the antecedent is the mall named in the previous sentence; the second one, It has six floors, must also be the mall, because only the mall can have six floors. They sell fresh food refers to the plural the supermarkets, and This is my favourite place points back to the sports centre on the fifth floor. Method: look for the noun before the pronoun, then check number and common sense.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What does it refer to?
Q2What is antecedent?
Q3What is ambiguous?
Q4What is they for?
Q5What is this for?
Q6What does the first "It" refer to?
Q7What does "They" refer to?
Q8What does "This" refer to?
8Recap Recap
- A pronoun (it / they / this / such) replaces a noun mentioned before
- The antecedent = the noun a pronoun points to, usually earlier in the text
- Check the number: it singular · they plural — They sell fresh food = the supermarkets
- this refers to what was just said — This is my favourite place = the sports centre
- Ambiguous references are bad writing — readers must guess from context