Pronouns and Clear Reference

What you’ll learn

Use pronouns without making the reader guess.

ប្រើសព្វនាមឱ្យអ្នកអានដឹងច្បាស់ថាយោងអ្នកណាឬអ្វី។

Writing focus

Pronouns avoid repetition only when their reference is clear. He or she may be confusing after two people are named. They can refer to plural people or things, and singular they is also used for a person whose gender is unknown or who uses that pronoun. Repeat a name when it makes the message clearer.

សព្វនាមកាត់ការស្ទួនបាន ពេលអ្នកអានដឹងថាយោងអ្វី។ បើ she អាចយោងមនុស្សពីរនាក់ គួរប្រើឈ្មោះឡើងវិញ។ They អាចយោងពហុវចនៈ ឬមនុស្សម្នាក់តាមបរិបទ។

Writing patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Clear person reference	Maly is my teacher. She helps me.
Clear object reference	I bought a notebook. It is blue.
Avoid ambiguity	Maly thanked Sophea because Sophea had helped.

Examples

1. The students brought their books.

   សិស្សបានយកសៀវភៅរបស់ពួកគេមក។

2. I found my key and put it in my bag.

   ខ្ញុំរកឃើញសោ ហើយដាក់វាក្នុងកាបូប។

3. Dara called Vannak because Dara needed help.

   ដារ៉ាទូរស័ព្ទទៅវណ្ណៈ ព្រោះដារ៉ាត្រូវការជំនួយ។

4. A new learner can ask for help when they need it.

   អ្នករៀនថ្មីអាចសុំជំនួយពេលពួកគេត្រូវការ។

Model writing

Maly and Sophea joined our class last month.

Maly enjoys reading, while Sophea prefers speaking practice. They study together after class.

Yesterday, Maly thanked Sophea because Sophea had explained a difficult exercise.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
The students opened his books. (intended: each student’s own books)	The students opened their books.	Their matches the intended plural possessors.
Maly told Sophea she had won. (intended: Sophea won, but unclear)	Maly told Sophea that Sophea had won.	Repeat the name to remove ambiguity.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Replace a repeated noun: I bought a bag. The bag is blue.
2. Clarify: Dara told Vannak he was late. Dara was late.
3. Complete: The learners brought ___ notebooks.

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. I bought a bag. It is blue.

   It has a clear singular object reference.

2. Dara told Vannak that Dara was late.

   Model answer: repeat the intended person’s name.

3. their

   Their refers to the learners.

Quick recap

• Use pronouns when the reference is recoverable.
• Repeat names when two referents compete.
• Check possessives against the intended owner.