SAT Writing : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
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Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
She was always hard on her, battling with low self-esteem since she was a child.
hard on her
hard with her
hard in herself
hard on herself
hard to her
hard on herself
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 #1 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The materials must be brought back to myself as soon as you are done with them.
back from myself
back to me
back toward myself
back from me
back to myself
back to me
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.
giving to me
gave to myself
given to myself
giving to myself
given to me
given to me
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 #1 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
Those supplies all need to be brought directly to myself.
directly to myself.
directly to me.
directly from myself.
directly for myself.
direct to myself.
directly to me.
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 #2 : Correcting Pronoun Errors: Incorrect Usage
The information needs to be reviewed by yourself before it is sent out.
reviews by yourself
reviewed by yourself
reviewed by you
reviewing by your
reviewing by yourself
reviewed by you
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 #491 : Sentence Correction
The supplies were immediately brought to myself as soon as they were purchased.
brought to myself
being brought to myself
bringing to me
brought to me
bringing to myself
brought to me
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 #41 : Other Pronoun Errors
Unlike myself, he has never gotten a speeding ticket on the highway.
Unlike I,
Unlike me,
Unto like myself,
Unlikely myself,
Unlike myself,
Unlike me,
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 #41 : Correcting Usage Errors
Most of the time, he brings the newspaper to myself first, then passes it around the office.
to me first
to my own self first
from myself first
to myself first
to myself firstly
to me first
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 #41 : Correcting Word Usage Errors
The reports all need to be seen by myself before they are sent out.
to myself
for myself
by me
by myself
as myself
by me
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 #41 : Correcting Pronoun Errors
I have never questioned the innate abilities of me.
the innate ability of me.
the innate abilities of me.
the innate abilities of myself.
the innate abilities to me.
the innate abilities for me.
the innate abilities of myself.
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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