Broad pronoun reference is extremely common in written and spoken language today. Take the following example:
Example 1:
I tend not to think of myself as a very good writer because I try to get another person to proofread each of my nodes. This may or may not improve my writing, but it does increase each node's quality.
The pronoun, "this", in the first example could be referring to a number of things: my thought process; the act of seeking out proofreaders; or the act of proofreading. A broad pronoun reference introduces ambiguity into the sentence. In spoken language, this ambiguity can often be counteracted with body language and/or inflection, but written words must be clear in order to convey the writer's intended meaning.
The broad pronoun reference in the first example can be repaired thusly:
Example 2:
I tend not to think of myself as a very good writer because I try to get another person to proofread each of my nodes. This proofreading may or may not improve my writing, but it does increase each node's quality.
The pronoun, "this", is now tied to the concept of proofreading. The sentences fit together better, and their meaning is much clearer.
Look for sentences containing "this," "that," or "it." If you think one of the sentences you've found contains a broad pronoun reference, read it aloud without the surrounding
sentences. If you need the other sentences for context, consider revising the sentence.
There are multiple ways to repair broad pronoun reference. In the second example, the pronoun is tied to a specific concept from the prior sentence. The following sentence is just as valid and just as unambiguous.
Example 3:
I tend not to think of myself as a very good writer because I try to get another person to proofread each of my nodes; having others proofread may or may not improve my writing, but it does increase each node's quality.
When the above methods fail, you can omit the pronoun and replace it with the ambiguously referenced noun. This repetition can make sentences sound redundant, but redundant is better than ambiguous. Be sure to read the sentence or sentences aloud again after revising. Just because a sentence has been revised doesn't mean it's perfect.