LCH1109 Preparing for IELTS Grammar: Referencing

Grammar: Referencing
Example When a child plays a computer game, he/she they are often training his/her their
1 reflexes.
Use they/them for people in the singular when we are talking in general about
males and females, but we cannot specify their gender
Example Technology companies are continually innovating. This means that any device you
2 buy is likely to be obsolete quite soon.
‘this’ refers to the thing last mentioned = ‘technology companies are continually
innovating’
Example A new system of tagging was devised, and this gave the researchers a much
3 better picture of the birds’ migration patterns.
‘this’ refers to ‘a new system of tagging’: more emphatic than ‘it’
Examples The severe drought has resulted in a poor harvest. It has also affected livestock.
4–5 The severe drought has resulted in a poor harvest. This has led to famine in
certain parts of the country.
‘it’ refers to ‘the severe drought’ = the first of two things mentioned in the
previous sentence
‘this’ refers to ‘a poor harvest’ = the second of two things mentioned in the
previous sentence
Example It would be good to experience both lifestyles if that were possible.
6 ‘that’ refers to ‘experience both lifestyles’: often use ‘that’ in conditional
sentences
Example The children spent all day in front the television and that’s why we decided to
7 throw it away.
‘that’ refers to ‘the children spent all day in front the television’: often use ‘that’
when giving reasons
Example People feel the new software is expensive and hard to navigate. Such criticisms
8 are seriously affecting sales.
‘criticisms’ = ‘expensive and hard to navigate’
such / these / those / this / that + collective noun/noun phrase: refers back to
something previously mentioned
Example There are a lot of good tablet PCs on the market now. The one I use is quite
9 expensive but very versatile.
‘the one’ refers to singular countable nouns from a group (‘a lot of good tablet
PCs’)
Example There are several modern word-processing programs, so I don’t know why they’re
10 still using an old one.
‘a/an + adjective + one’ refers to singular countable nouns from a group
(‘modern word-processing programs’)
Examples One app gives you a weather forecast, while another brings you your favorite
11 – 12 radio station.
Pam has two cars: one is a Tesla and the other is a Ford.
‘another’ refers to the second, third, etc. singular countable nouns from a
group
‘the other’ refers to the second of two things/people already mentioned
Example She has several mobile phones and she keeps the ones she’s not using in a
13 drawer in the kitchen.
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LCH1109 Preparing for IELTS Grammar: Referencing

Use ‘ones’ to avoid repeating a plural noun (‘mobile phones’)

Example Three of my classmates went abroad to study, whereas the others stayed in my
14 country.
‘the others’ refers to the rest of a number of people/things already mentioned
Examples He’s got two houses. Both are by the sea; neither was very expensive.
15 – 16 Tanya has three computers. All of them are old, and none of them works.
‘both’ and ‘neither’ refer to two things/people
‘all’ and ‘none’ refer to more than two things/people
Example City planners decided to widen the highway without considering the disadvantages
17 of doing so.
‘doing so’ avoids repeating a verb + the words which follow (‘widening the
highway’)

Reference: Brook-Hart, G., & Jakeman, V. (2013). Complete IELTS bands 6.5-7.5 student’s book
with answers. Cambridge University Press. (p.117)

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