If you cannot accurately track what demonstratives and substitute expressions such as this / that / it / such / these factors / the former / the latter refer to in a long passage, the entire logic of the passage shifts and leads to misreading. Questions asking what a demonstrative refers to are also common on highly competitive university entrance exams.
Basic Rules
Procedure for identifying what a demonstrative refers to:
① Make the noun, sentence, or paragraph immediately before the demonstrative a candidate (it usually refers to what comes immediately before, but not always).
② Replace the demonstrative with the candidate content and verify whether the meaning of the entire sentence makes sense.
③ this and that alone often refer to the entire preceding sentence or the content of several preceding sentences, and thus often indicate a wider range than a single noun.
④ such + noun refers to “something of the kind mentioned earlier.” “Such behavior is common among young children.” ← such behavior = the specific behavior described earlier
⑤ the former / the latter refer to the first or second of two matters mentioned immediately before.
⑥ The substitute do/does/did is used in place of the preceding verb or verb phrase: “He studies harder than his brother does.” = does = studies
The key to accurate reading is not to skip the process of substituting the possible referent and rereading the sentence.
Some researchers argue that intelligence is largely determined by genetics, while others emphasize the role of environment. This debate has continued for decades without a clear resolution. (Some researchers argue that intelligence is largely determined by genetics, while others emphasize the role of environment. This debate has continued for decades without a clear resolution.) ← This debate refers to the entire preceding sentence (the conflict between genetics and environment)
Reading fiction and playing video games both require sustained attention, but the former demands imaginative engagement while the latter often relies on quick reflexes. (Reading fiction and playing video games both require sustained attention, but the former demands imaginative engagement while the latter often relies on quick reflexes.) ← the former = Reading fiction / the latter = playing video games
Points to Note
① this/that very often refers not to “one word” but to the content of the entire preceding sentence. When answering a question about what a demonstrative refers to, you often need to give a summary of the preceding sentence's main point rather than just one noun.
② A demonstrative may refer not to the immediately preceding sentence but to a sentence or paragraph slightly earlier (especially when the demonstrative appears at the beginning of a paragraph). Do not decide hastily after checking only the preceding sentence; always verify whether the meaning makes sense.
③ the former/the latter presuppose “a contrast between two things.” These expressions cannot be used for three or more items in a series, so first confirm a contrast structure (a two-part opposition).
④ The substitute do/does/did is especially common in comparative constructions. As in “as much as he does,” always return the substitute verb to the original verb to confirm what it replaces.
- Verify a demonstrative by substituting a possible referent and checking whether the meaning makes sense
- this/that often refers to the content of the preceding sentence rather than one word
- such + noun refers to something of the kind mentioned earlier
- the former/the latter presuppose a two-part contrast
- Return substitute do/does/did to the original verb to confirm its meaning
Practice
- Explain what This refers to in the following sentence: Several studies found no link between the two variables. This has led some scholars to question the original hypothesis.
- Under what conditions can the former / the latter be used? Explain.
- Explain the verification procedure for determining what a demonstrative refers to.