1. How to Avoid Using 2 nd Person Today’s Exciting Comp Topic!

2. The Obvious Kind Example: You should do your homework so that your teacher won’t yell at you. Fix: Students should do their homework so that their teachers won’t yell at them. Fix: A student should do his homework so that his teachers won’t yell at him.

3. Terms You Need to Know What’s agreement ? Making sure a subject and its verb OR a pronoun and its antecedent are the same in number (singular or plural). What’s an antecedent ? The word replaced or referred to by the pronoun.

4. Antecedents Singular Antecedents: one, everyone, anyone, someone, no one everybody, anybody, somebody, nobody either, neither, each person, individual, or some other label that relates to topic Singular Pronouns: he, she, him, her, it, his, her, hers, its

5. Examples Everyone should bring (his, their) band uniform. Anybody can raise (her, their) hand to participate. Someone had better confess (his, their) guilt, or else! One should always think before (he acts, they act). An individual who wants to be a professional musician should make time in (his, their) schedule every day.

6. Mixing it Up Too many different kinds of singular antecedents in one sentence is AWKWARD & CONFUSING! Awkward: A person should do one’s homework so that one’s teacher won’t yell at the student. Better: One should do his homework so that his teacher won’t yell at him.

7. A More Creative Strategy Use labels that relate specifically to your topic. How-to on fly-fishing? Try “fly fisherman” or ”angler.” How-to on pet iguanas? Try “lizard lover” or “exotic pet owner.” How-to on creating the perfect party iPod playlist??

8. Variety is the spice of life! Use a mixture of generic and creative and a mixture of singular and plural, BUT not in the same sentence. Plural Antecedents: people, individuals, OR other 3 rd person labels that relate to your topic (e.g. – students, fishermen, music-lovers, athletes, etc.) Plural Pronouns (to be used to refer to plural antecedents): they, them, their, theirs

9. The Sneaky Kind of 2 nd Person Example: Make sure the toaster is unplugged before attempting to repair it. This is the voice used in a request, command or suggestion. What is the subject of this sentence? (YOU) Make sure the toaster is unplugged before attempting to repair it.

10. How to Fix It Solution #1: The repairman should make sure the toaster is unplugged before attempting to fix it. Step 1: Identify the role or function of the person the sentence is addressing. Step 2: Come up with a creative label for that person. Step 3: Make that label the subject of the sentence. Step 4: Add a helping verb like “should” or “must” or “needs to” or “ought to.”

11. Another Way to Fix It Solution #2: Making sure that the toaster is unplugged before attempting to repair it will ensure that the handyman does not get electrocuted. Step 1: Add –ing to the verb. Step 2: Come up with a tip or warning to include at the end of the sentence. Step 3 : add a new verb phrase such as “will ensure” or “should guarantee” to attach the tip or warning BONUS: This will not only eliminate 2 nd person but also make your writing more sophisticated! : )