Continuous discourse always contains a great deal of cross-referring fromone part of the text to another. In fact, the coherence of a text – whether written or spoken – depends on making unambiguous cross-references between the various parts.
To give a simple example:
Simon came home early. He was not feeling well.
Here, the personal pronoun he refers back to the proper noun Simon.The pronoun creates a simple, unambiguous connection between the two sentences. Referring back in this way is called anaphoric reference,or simply anaphora .
The item that is referred back to is called the antecedent . So in this example, Simon is the antecedent of he.
Using pronouns is the most common way to make cross-references in a text. The following examples illustrate the use of pronouns to refer back.In each example, the antecedent and its corresponding pronoun are shown in italic.
You should prepare a study timetable. You can modify it later if
you need to.
I like Juliet Stephenson. I saw her in Truly Madly Deeply.
London Underground has announced the suspension of trains on the Circle Line. This is due to track maintenance work.
When we feel emotion, certain involuntary changes occur within us. These include changes in salivation, breathing, and heart-rate.
A pronoun can also refer back to the whole of a previous sentence:
Check-in time was ten o’clock. That meant we had to get up at six.
Referring back is the most common type of cross-referencing in a text.
However, we can also refer forward:
It’s here at last. The new Nissan Micra was launched this week.
Referring forward is called cataphoric reference, or cataphora.
To give a simple example:
Simon came home early. He was not feeling well.
Here, the personal pronoun he refers back to the proper noun Simon.The pronoun creates a simple, unambiguous connection between the two sentences. Referring back in this way is called anaphoric reference,or simply anaphora .
The item that is referred back to is called the antecedent . So in this example, Simon is the antecedent of he.
Using pronouns is the most common way to make cross-references in a text. The following examples illustrate the use of pronouns to refer back.In each example, the antecedent and its corresponding pronoun are shown in italic.
You should prepare a study timetable. You can modify it later if
you need to.
I like Juliet Stephenson. I saw her in Truly Madly Deeply.
London Underground has announced the suspension of trains on the Circle Line. This is due to track maintenance work.
When we feel emotion, certain involuntary changes occur within us. These include changes in salivation, breathing, and heart-rate.
A pronoun can also refer back to the whole of a previous sentence:
Check-in time was ten o’clock. That meant we had to get up at six.
Referring back is the most common type of cross-referencing in a text.
However, we can also refer forward:
It’s here at last. The new Nissan Micra was launched this week.
Referring forward is called cataphoric reference, or cataphora.
