SAT Writing : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for SAT Writing

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

She was always hard on her, battling with low self-esteem since she was a child.

Possible Answers:

hard on herself

hard in herself

hard with her

hard to her

hard on her

Correct answer:

hard on herself

Explanation:

The use of the pronoun "her" in the underlined phrase is confusing, as it is not clear whether this is a new person in the sentence or refers back to the subject. To be more clear, a reflexive pronoun must be used. The correct answer is "hard on herself."

Example Question #15 : Improving Sentences

The materials must be brought back to myself as soon as you are done with them.

Possible Answers:

back to me

back from me

back toward myself

back to myself

back from myself

Correct answer:

back to me

Explanation:

The only issue in the sentence as it is written is the use of "myself," a reflexive pronoun, when there is no other first person pronoun to which it can refer back. The only answer choice which both appropriately uses "me," and keeps the same meaning is "back to me."

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The information was only given to myself after the rest of the students had seen it all.

Possible Answers:

giving to myself 

given to myself

gave to myself

given to me

giving to me

Correct answer:

given to me

Explanation:

The only issue with the sentence is its use of the reflexive pronoun "myself," despite not previously using a first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need an antecedent, or previous pronoun in the same person, to be used correctly, or it should be changed to the simple pronoun. As this is the only problem with the sentence, "given to me" is the correct answer choice.

Example Question #2 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

Those supplies all need to be brought directly to myself.

Possible Answers:

direct to myself.

directly to myself.

directly to me.

directly from myself.

directly for myself.

Correct answer:

directly to me.

Explanation:

The only issue with the sentence is the use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" without a previous use of the first person pronoun. All reflexive pronouns need to refer back to an earlier use of the pronoun in the sentence. The solution to this issue is to change "myself" to the simple "me," making "directly to me" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The information needs to be reviewed by yourself before it is sent out.

Possible Answers:

reviewing by your

reviewing by yourself

reviewed by you

reviews by yourself

reviewed by yourself

Correct answer:

reviewed by you

Explanation:

The use of the reflexive pronoun "yourself" is incorrect in this sentence, as it has no previous "you" to refer back to. "Yourself" needs to simply be replaced by "you," making "reviewed by you" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #22 : Improving Sentences

The supplies were immediately brought to myself as soon as they were purchased.

Possible Answers:

bringing to myself

bringing to me

brought to me

brought to myself

being brought to myself

Correct answer:

brought to me

Explanation:

The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect. "Myself" is a reflexive pronoun, meaning it needs an earlier first person pronoun to refer back to. The appropriate word in this situation is just "me," and that is the only issue with the sentence; therefore, "brought to me" is the correct answer.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

Unlike myself, he has never gotten a speeding ticket on the highway.

Possible Answers:

Unlikely myself,

Unlike I,

Unlike me,

Unto like myself,

Unlike myself,

Correct answer:

Unlike me,

Explanation:

The reflexive pronoun "myself" is absolutely incorrect in this sentence, as there is no regular first person pronoun to which it can refer. "Myself" needs to be changed to the subjective pronoun "me," making "Unlike me" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #2 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

Most of the time, he brings the newspaper to myself first, then passes it around the office.

Possible Answers:

to myself first

to myself firstly

to me first

to my own self first

from myself first

Correct answer:

to me first

Explanation:

The use of the reflexive pronoun "myself" is absolutely wrong in this sentence, as there is no previous use of the first person pronoun for it to refer to. The pronoun must be changed to the simple first person objective form, "me." As this is the only issue in the sentence, the correct answer choice is "to me first."

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

The reports all need to be seen by myself before they are sent out.

Possible Answers:

for myself

by myself

by me

to myself

as myself

Correct answer:

by me

Explanation:

The use of "myself" in the sentence is incorrect, as it is a reflexive pronoun and needs a previous usage of the regular pronoun first. As there is none, the pronoun  needs to be changed to the regular pronoun "me." This makes "by me" the correct answer choice.

Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage

I have never questioned the innate abilities of me.

Possible Answers:

the innate abilities for me.

the innate ability of me.

the innate abilities to me.

the innate abilities of me.

the innate abilities of myself.

Correct answer:

the innate abilities of myself.

Explanation:

The use of me, although technically correct as the objective form, is awkward in this sentence after the previous use of "I" as the subject. By placing the reflexive pronoun "myself" in the sentence, the pronoun now appropriately refers back to the subject of the sentence. The correct answer choice is "the innate abilities of myself."

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