Understanding Pronouns: The Case of Unclear Antecedent

Identifying the Antecedent in a Sentence

Jim and Bob went to the fair where he won a goldfish.

When we encounter a sentence like the one above, one of the key aspects of understanding the sentence structure is identifying the antecedent of pronouns used. In this case, the pronoun "he" is used without a clear antecedent, leading to ambiguity in the sentence.

What is the antecedent in that sentence?

The antecedent is unclear

Jim

Bob

Final answer:

The antecedent in the sentence 'Jim and Bob went to the fair where he won a goldfish.' is unclear because the pronoun 'he' could refer to either Jim or Bob, and the sentence does not provide sufficient context to determine which one.

Explanation:

The question asks to identify the antecedent in the sentence "Jim and Bob went to the fair where he won a goldfish." In English grammar, an antecedent is the word that a pronoun refers to or replaces. However, in the given sentence, the pronoun 'he' lacks a clear antecedent since it could refer to either Jim or Bob. Without additional context or clarification, it is impossible to determine whether 'he' refers to Jim, to Bob, or to someone entirely different. Therefore, the antecedent in the sentence is unclear.

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