One only has to listen to TV or radio news for a few minutes to hear or see how today's journalists are making a basic mistake in grammar over and over again. One might say "repetitiously"! It is the Repetitious Pronoun. We all learned in grammar school this basic principle, but with the more conversational style of newscasting, this mistake has crept back into the daily stream, and my concern is it will soon be acceptable "ah, like, ya know".
With just one quick minute and a little practice you should not ever be guilty of this mistake, even though you will hear major network news anchors do it, you should not.
Using pronouns correctly can improve verbal flow and even comprehension - and that is why we take valuable time to communicate! Excessive or incorrect use of them, on the other hand, can ruin an otherwise acceptable sentence.
Do not repeat a pronoun directly after its antecedent. Use either the pronoun or the antecedent - not both.
Example: My father, he said I should not drink and drive.
Correct: My father said I should not drink and drive.
The pronoun HE unnecessarily repeats the antecedent "father", which is right before it.
Other examples:
The lady accused of this crime, she is just now taking the stand.
The man driving the truck, he swerved off the road killing bystanders.
Our animal patients they are very special to us and we enjoy our work very much.
Also be careful when using the pronoun IT in a sentence.
Example: These are some of the reasons, I believe, writing correctly it is very important for everyone.
In the sentence above, the pronoun it refers to writing correctly, but since it immediately follows writing correctly, it is not necessary.
BETTER: These are some of the reasons, I believe, writing correctly is very important for everybody.
Just a quick reminder for all of us to know and to strive to be better journalists and communicators.
Dr. Jim Humphries
Veterinary News Network
