Using Pronouns Clearly & Effectively In Academic & Scientific Writing

Using Pronouns Clearly and Effectively

It is difficult to imagine writing scholarly prose in English without pronouns. If academic and scientific authors were forced to repeat full nouns every time they referred to a person, object, concept or process, their books and articles would be unwieldy, wordy and tiring to read. Pronouns allow us to maintain cohesion, avoid unnecessary repetition and keep sentences flowing smoothly. However, the very simplicity of pronouns can make them dangerous if they are used carelessly. A single unclear it or they can leave readers unsure what the writer means.

In academic contexts—where arguments are often complex and readers rely heavily on precise logical connections—pronouns must be handled with particular care. Every pronoun should have a clear and specific antecedent (the noun or idea it replaces), and it must agree with that antecedent in both number and person. In addition, pronouns should be placed so that their reference is unmistakable: readers should never have to guess whether it refers to the method, the result, the interpretation or the entire previous sentence.

Why Pronoun Agreement Matters

Pronoun agreement has two main dimensions: number (singular vs. plural) and person (first, second or third person). When pronouns do not match their antecedents, the result may sound ungrammatical, but even more importantly, it can confuse readers about who is doing what or which entity is being discussed. In a research article, that confusion can affect the interpretation of methods, findings or responsibility for actions.

Consider the basic example: “When Dr John Smith prepares an article for publication in a top-tier journal, he proofreads the manuscript very carefully.” The singular masculine pronoun he clearly replaces the singular noun phrase Dr John Smith. If the subject changes to Dr Jane Smith, the pronoun naturally becomes she. If the sentence is pluralised—“When successful scholars prepare articles …”—the pronoun also becomes plural: they proofread the manuscripts very carefully.

These shifts are straightforward, but real academic writing often involves more complex noun phrases, abstract entities and groups of agents. That is why habits of careful agreement established in simple cases are so important: they carry over into more demanding sentences.

Agreement in Number: Singular and Plural Pronouns

Agreement in number means that singular nouns are replaced by singular pronouns, and plural nouns by plural pronouns. At first glance, this seems obvious, but English contains several patterns that frequently cause problems for writers.

Clear Singular and Plural Cases

In the simplest cases, the rule is straightforward:

• “The researcher updated her database.” (singular researcher → singular her)
• “The researchers updated their database.” (plural researchers → plural their)

Here, the number and person are obvious. Problems begin when we use more general or indefinite nouns such as a scholar, an author, everyone or each participant.

Indefinite Pronouns and “Everybody”

Indefinite pronouns such as anyone, someone, nobody, each and everybody look plural in meaning but are grammatically singular. They refer to individuals within a group, not to the group as a collective unit. As a result, they require singular pronouns for strict grammatical agreement:

• “Everybody brought his or her favourite dish.”
• “Each reviewer submitted his or her comments on time.”
• “No one changed his or her response after debriefing.”

In traditional grammar, pairing everybody with their is considered incorrect because it mismatches singular and plural. However, this rule interacts with equally important concerns about gender and inclusivity, especially in contemporary academic writing.

“He or She” and the Rise of Singular “They”

For many years, writers were advised to avoid using generic he to refer to people in general, as this construction is both exclusionary and potentially misleading. A common alternative was to use he or she (or his or her):

“When a successful scholar prepares an article for publication in a top-tier journal, he or she proofreads the manuscript very carefully.”

This formulation respects grammatical number but can sound heavy and repetitive when used frequently. In response, many writers now prefer the singular they in such contexts:

“When a successful scholar prepares an article for publication in a top-tier journal, they proofread the manuscript very carefully.”

Traditionally, some style guides objected to singular they on the grounds that they is fundamentally plural. However, current practice is changing rapidly, and many major publishers, universities and journals now accept or even recommend singular they to avoid gender bias and to include people who do not identify within a binary gender framework. As an author, you should follow the guidelines of your target journal or institution. If they allow singular they, it is usually the smoothest and most inclusive option. If they prefer more conservative usage, you may need to retain he or she or rephrase sentences in the plural (scholars … they) to avoid awkward repetition.

Agreement in Person: First, Second and Third Person

While number agreement concerns how many, agreement in person concerns who is speaking. English distinguishes first person (I, we), second person (you) and third person (he, she, it, they). In formal academic writing, most research articles are written primarily in the third person, sometimes with first-person plural (we) when the authors describe their own actions.

Problems arise when writers inadvertently shift person mid-sentence or mid-paragraph. Consider the following examples:

• “When a successful scholar prepares an article for publication in a top-tier journal, he or she proofreads the manuscript very carefully.” (Consistent third person)
• “When a successful scholar prepares an article for publication in a top-tier journal, you proofread the manuscript very carefully.” (Incorrect shift to second person)

In the second sentence, the subject begins as a successful scholar (third person) but is suddenly addressed as you (second person). This shift is common in informal advice, but it is generally inappropriate in formal scholarly prose. Similar problems occur when authors begin with we and then slip into you or one without noticing.

In most research contexts, you should choose a dominant perspective and maintain it:

• Third person: common in humanities and sciences, emphasising objectivity (“The study demonstrates that …”).
• First person plural (“we”): increasingly accepted, especially in the sciences, when referring to the authors’ own actions (“We collected data … We analysed …”).
• First person singular (“I”): more common in single-author work in some disciplines (e.g. philosophy, literary studies), but still discouraged in others.
• Second person (“you”): generally avoided in research articles, as it addresses the reader directly and creates a more conversational tone.

Whatever you choose, consistency is crucial. Do not start a methods section in the third person (“The researchers collected data …”) and then switch to we partway through unless your style guide clearly permits this and you have good structural reasons for the change.

Ensuring Clear Pronoun Reference

Even when pronouns agree in number and person, they can still cause confusion if their reference is ambiguous. Pronouns such as it, this, that, which and they must point clearly to a specific noun or clearly formulated idea. In dense academic prose, ambiguity often arises when multiple potential antecedents appear near the pronoun.

Ambiguous “It”

Take the sentence: “Although the car hit the house, it was not damaged.” The pronoun it could grammatically refer to either car or house. Readers may infer the intended meaning from context, but ambiguity remains. A clearer version is:

• “Although the car hit the house, the house was not damaged.”
• or “Although the car hit the house, the car was not damaged.”

In academic writing, especially when describing experimental setups, statistical results or logical relationships, such ambiguity can be serious. If readers misinterpret which element was affected, they may misunderstand the entire argument.

Vague Reference to Ideas

Pronouns can also be vague when they refer not to a single noun but to an entire preceding clause or sentence. For example:

“When the house is finished it will be nice.”

Here, it seems to refer to the house, but it might also be read as referring to the state of being finished. A clearer version is:

“When the house is finished, it will make a lovely home.”

Now the pronoun is explicitly linked to house, and the idea expressed is more concrete. In academic writing, a common problem is the vague use of this or this can lead to confusion. For example:

“The sample size was small, and the recruitment process was biased. This means the results should be interpreted cautiously.”

What exactly does this refer to? The small sample size, the biased recruitment, or both together? A more precise revision might read:

• “These limitations mean that the results should be interpreted cautiously.”
• or “This combination of small sample size and biased recruitment means …”

In general, if there is any chance that a pronoun could point to more than one antecedent, it is usually safer to repeat or reformulate the noun phrase, even at the cost of some repetition.

Practical Strategies for Checking Pronouns

Because writers know what they intend to say, they often overlook pronoun problems in their own work. The sentence seems clear internally, so the possibility of ambiguity for other readers is easy to miss. Several practical strategies can help:

• Read pronoun-heavy sentences aloud. Pausing slightly before each pronoun and asking, “What exactly does this refer to?” can reveal unclear links.
• Check the distance between pronoun and antecedent. If many words or multiple nouns intervene, consider repeating the noun or restructuring the sentence.
• Highlight all instances of “it,” “they,” “this,” “that,” “which” and “these.” Then, for each one, underline the exact antecedent. If you cannot clearly identify a single noun or idea, revise.
• Watch for person shifts. Skim paragraphs specifically for changes between I/we, you and he/she/they. Ensure any shift is deliberate and appropriate.
• Ask a colleague, mentor or professional editor to review the text. A fresh reader is more likely to notice when a pronoun’s reference is not as obvious as the author assumes.

Conclusion

Pronouns are small but powerful tools in academic and scientific writing. Used well, they reduce repetition, connect sentences smoothly and help readers follow complex arguments with ease. Used carelessly, they introduce ambiguity, disrupt agreement and obscure meaning. Mastery of pronoun use therefore involves more than simply avoiding “mistakes”: it requires a conscious effort to ensure that every pronoun agrees in number and person with its antecedent and that every reference is crystal clear.

By attending closely to agreement, maintaining a consistent narrative perspective and revising ambiguous pronouns, scholarly authors can significantly improve the clarity and precision of their work. In fields where subtle distinctions matter and careful reasoning is essential, such attention to detail is not optional; it is a key component of effective, professional communication.