Referring back

9.2 When you speak or write, you very often refer back to something that has already been mentioned or make a connection with it.

pronouns 9.3 One common way of referring back to something is to use a personal pronoun such as 'she', 'it', or 'them', or a possessive pronoun such as 'mine' or 'hers'.

Davis opened a door. 'Here's your room, I'm afraid it's a bit untidy.' He picked a dirty handkerchief off the floor and stuffed it in a drawer.

The keeper came loping softly up the lane with the dog padding at his heels, and we watched them through the hedge as they went by.

I held her very close. My cheek was against hers.

Personal pronouns are explained in paragraphs 1.96 to 1.109. Possessive pronouns are explained in paragraphs 1.110 to 1.114.

There are also other pronouns which can be used to refer back. These include pronouns such as 'another' and 'many' which have the same form as general determiners. These are explained in paragraph 1.153.

...programmes which tell the computer to do one thing rather than another.

You can also used a quantifier or a cardinal number.

The women were asked to leave. Some of them refused.

These soldiers had no doubt that the invasion was upon them. Many of them had already been involved in fighting.

...the Guatemalan earthquake which killed 24,000 people and injured 77,000.

Quantifiers are explained in paragraphs 2.193 to 2.210. Numbers are explained in paragraphs 2.230 to 2.248.

9.4 Another common way of referring back to something is to use a specific determiner such as 'the' or 'its' in front of a noun.

A man and a woman were struggling up the dune. The man wore shorts, a T-shirt, and basketball sneakers. The woman wore a print dress.

'Thanks,' said Brody. He hung up, turned out the light in his office and walked out to his car.

Specific determiners are explained in paragraphs 1.162 to 1.207. Some general determiners can also be used to refer back to something.

A dog was running around in the yard. Soon another dog appeared.

Here is a list of general determiners used to refer back to something:

another both

each either

every neither

other

These are explained fully in paragraphs 1.221 to 1.235.

9.5 As indicated above, pronouns and determiners used to refer back are explained in Chapter 1, where other pronouns and determiners are explained. The demonstratives 'this' and that' are used to refer back to whole sentences and sections of text as well as to things, so all their cohesive uses are set out in the following section (paragraphs 9.7 to 9.17), which also explains other words which are used to refer back in a specific way.

9.6 There are also several other ways of referring back to something that has already been mentioned. These involve

• the use of various nouns to refer back to sections of text

These are explained in paragraphs 9.18 to 9.23.

• the use of 'so' and 'not' as substitutes for several types of word or structure which you want to avoid repeating

This use of 'so' and 'not' is explained in paragraphs 9.24 to 9.27.

• the use of 'such', adjectives, and adjuncts to make comparisons with things that have already been mentioned

This is explained in paragraphs 9.28 to 9.40.