Referents are words in a passage that other words refer or link to. Pronouns such as they and it have nouns that they replace, yet other words such as that, these, and some also have referents. Usually the referent appears somewhere before the referring word in the passage, but it may come after the referent, perhaps even in the next sentence. Look at some examples where the referent is highlighted and the word it refers to is underlined.
- There has been a lot in the news about bees and the fact that they seem to be disappearing.
- Bees assist the process of flower pollination and help plants grow. During this process, there is a great deal they give and take from the flowers.
- It is amazing how these bees communicate. When one finds a flower, it must relay this information back to the rest of the hive in order to let them know where it is.
- Some basic questions need to be answered about bees and that will tell us what they do for humans.
- The most important aspect to know about Sociobiology is how it was created.
- There is a specific type of relationship that exists within ecosystems regarding food chains.
- A trophic relationship shows how large organisms eat smaller ones, but of course, this system is slightly more complex.
- It is surprising to learn that one of the most important medical advancements was getting physicians to wash their hands. The history of how this was discovered is quite interesting,
Now look at a short reading passage and two example questions.
Most people are right handed, and the statistics say that about 90% of the population has their right hand as their dominant hand. These people generally have fewer problems than the left-handed minority. Being a part of that group can negatively affect people's daily lives in many ways. This ranges from the numerous inconveniences of using everyday gadgets such as scissors or can openers to social problems that results from appearing different from the norm.
- The phrase "that group" in line 3 refers to
- the majority of people
- those with fewer problems
- the statistics
- left-handed people
The first choice, "the majority of people", refers to right-handed people. The second choice, "those with fewer problems", also refers to right-handed people. The third choice, "the statistics", makes no sense as it is not a person. Therefore the fourth choice, left-handed people", is correct as this is the group experiencing problems.
- What does the word "this" in line 4 refer to?
- The left-handed minority
- The affect on people's lives
- Using everyday gadgets
- Numerous inconveniences
The first choice, "The left-handed minority", has the problems given, and this should refer to the problems themselves. The third choice, "Using everyday gadgets", is one of the inconveniences listed that follows. The fourth choice, "Numerous inconveniences", is an example of the effects, not all of them. The second choice, "The affect on people's lives", is correct as it refers to the many effects on people's lives, which introduces the examples given.
Exercise
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.