Using reference words

Reference words point backwards or forwards to other words or concepts that have already
appeared in the text or are about to appear in the text. In the majority of cases, the word has already
occurred in the text i.e. the reference word is pointing backwards.
Example:
There are a number of distinct phases of childhood development. Broadly speaking, these are linked
to the motor, emotional and linguistic development of the child.
Here, these is a reference word pointing back to phases in the preceding sentence.

Those changes requiring only a moderate level of financial support, were addressed first.

Here, those is a reference word pointing forwards to the changes requiring only a moderate level of
financial support.

There are six main kinds of reference words.

1. Personal pronouns
The personal pronouns are I, you, she, he, it, we, they.
The most commonly used personal pronouns are it - referring to things and they - referring to either
things or people. In academic writing, ‘things’ are usually phenomena and abstract nouns, and
people are usually previous researchers. He and she may also be used, usually to refer to authors
previously mentioned in the text.
Example:
The approach taken by the company is very narrow because it focuses only on the psychological
features of development.

2. Possessive pronouns
The possessive pronouns show a relationship of ownership or ‘belonging to’. They are: my, mine,
your, yours, his, her, hers, its, our, ours, their, theirs. The most commonly used possessive pronouns
in academic writing are its, their, his, her.
Example:
The WTO and IMF agree that India can now boast as the monopoly supplier of spice oils. Their
research clearly indicates that India accounts for 46% of the global spice trade.

3. Demonstratives
Demonstratives are similar to personal and possessive pronouns in that they refer to nouns usually
already present in the text. However, they have a stronger pointing quality – they identify (point at)
exactly which thing or things are being referred to. The most common demonstratives are: this, that
(singular), these, those (plural), such.
Example:
However, the researchers also conducted a subsequent study. This study strongly confirmed the
results of the previous one.

4. Comparatives
Comparatives are sometimes used as pronouns and sometimes as adjectives. You do not need to be
able to distinguish the two because, in both cases, they are being used to refer to something or
someone in the text. Comparatives include words like: another, other, both, similar, the same, better,
more, earlier, later, previous, subsequent.
Example:
This research has undoubtedly revolutionised thinking in the field. The same could be said of
Kowalski's (2010) later research.
5. The definite article ‘the’
The definite article the is often used to refer back to something which has already been mentioned
in the text and is now occurring for the second, or perhaps the third or fourth, time.
Example:
He was faced with a difficult choice. The choice has made demonstrated his ability to make sound
decisions under extreme pressure.

6. General reference
Usually a reference word is tied to a word, phrase or other grammatical element which is clearly
identifiable in the preceding or subsequent text. However, sometimes a reference word refers back
to an entire stretch of text – perhaps even a paragraph or two - without referring to any one
particular component of it. In this case, the reference word has the function of summarising the
preceding information.
The words most commonly used to do this are the demonstrative pronouns this and these.
Example:
The question arises of how best to allocate resources in a competitive environment where all parties'
requests seem to be of equal merit. Should applicants be required to demonstrate this when they are
not aware of each others' needs? Should more stringent parameters be developed so that the pool of
eligible applicants is decreased? Is the answer to deliver less funding to more applicants and so run
the risk of no single applicant being able to show a worthwhile return on their funding? Should
applicants have to show a willingness to match, zloty for zloty, investment by the funding body?
These are the hard problems now facing national funding bodies.
Match the highlighted reference words with the word/s or phrases they refer to: