Confusing pronoun when describing the action about same gender.

Question

When describing the action of two characters of same gender, questions of proper usage of pronoun arises.

For ex: This little boy want to play with a toy so he asked his dad to buy a toy for him. Since his dad was a toy lover when he was a kid, he gladly agreed to his son's request. As the boy's dad was getting ready, he got a message to get to office immediately so he left for the office.

Does the action described above make sense? Are the pronoun used in a right way, and it doesn't confuse the reader and make them think whether the pronoun is referring the boy or his dad. I usually get this confusion when writing action about two character of same gender. Could anyone please help me?

Henry74 · Accepted Answer

Wonder123 This little boy want to play with a toy so he asked his dad to buy a toy for him. Since his dad was a toy lover when he was a kid, he gladly agreed to his son's request.

This is OK. There's no confusion here.

Wonder123As the boy's dad was getting ready

This is slightly awkward.

1) the boy's dad is the same he you just mentioned twice. No other character has intervened in between. I find it unnecessarily confusing to say the boy's dad here.

2) getting ready to do what, buy a toy? That's a slightly odd thing to say. I would assosciate getting ready with going to the office in this context, but I think you want it to go with buy a toy.

A possible rewriting:

As he was about to do so, he got a message from the office urging him to come immediately, so he left.

H.

Wonder123 · Answer

Thanks for your feedback

Henry741) the boy's dad is the same he you just mentioned twice. No other character has intervened in between. I find it unnecessarily confusing to say the boy's dad here.

I used "boy's dad" because I thought if I use "he" it might confuse the reader to recognize who "he" actually is. Please let me know your thoughts.

Henry742) getting ready to do what, buy a toy? That's a slightly odd thing to say. I would assosciate getting ready with going to the office in this context, but I think you want it to go with buy a toy.

Yes, to buy a toy.

Henry74 · Answer

You're probably worried about the insertion of his son's request. Don't be; the sequence is clear to me.
He gladly agreed... of his son's request. As he was about to do so,...

H.

Wonder123 · Answer

Henry74You're probably worried about the insertion of his son's request. Don't be; the sequence is clear to me.He gladly agreed... of his son's request. As he was about to do so,...H.

Thanks for your clarification, suppose if I write the sentence about the son instead of father, in such situation how would the pronoun "he" will work? Please help me.

Ex: This little boy want to play with a toy so he asked his dad to buy a toy for him. Since his dad was a toy lover when he was a kid, he gladly agreed to his son's request. On hearing this great news he became very happy and he instantly ran into his dressing room to get ready to go shopping.

Thanks

Henry74 · Answer

That doesn't work.

A pronoun is a word that takes the place of a noun. One of its uses is to avoid the repetition of the same word or phrase over and over.
Consider this:

Since his dad was a toy lover when his dad was a kid, his dad gladly agreed....

That would be extremely cumbersome. You can mention his dad at the beginning, and then replace all the other occurrances of his dad with he.
As a consequence, all subsequent he's are going to mean his dad. If want to change the subjet, you have to name the new subject.
In your sentence in boldface there is a new subject – it's the son. If you say he again, you are still meaning the dad.

On hearing this great news, the son....

H.

Wonder123 · Answer

Ok thanks,

I have written two sentences below could you please cross check the pronouns and give me your feedback?

His teacher taught him whatever he learnt from his ancestor so that he may become a knowledgeable person.

Her sister told her that she will go to the fruit store and buy some fruits for her while returning from the office, so she is eagerly waiting for her sister to get back home.

Fivejedjon · Answer

Wonder123I have written two sentences below

... in which you have ignored Henry's advice: " If want to change the subject, you have to name the new subject."

There are too many ambiguous pronouns in those sentences.

Wonder123 · Answer

fivejedjon... in which you have ignored Henry's advice: " If want to change the subject, you have to name the new subject."There are too many ambiguous pronouns in those sentences.

I've re-written the sentences, Please go through them.

The kid's teacher taught him everything, that his teacher learn't from his ancestor, so that the kid may become a knowledgeable person.

Her sister told her, that she will go to the fruit store and buy some fruits for her while getting back from the office, so this girl is eagerly waiting for her sister to get back home.

Wonder123 · Answer

Hi fivejedjon, could you please help me to with the sentences above?

Fivejedjon · Answer

Wonder123The kid's teacher taught him everything, that his teacher learn't from his ancestor, so that the kid may become a knowledgeable person.

The kid's teacher taught him everything that he* had learnt from his ancestor**. so that the kid might become knowledgeable.

* It's pretty clear from the context that 'he' must be the teacher. If you have any doubt,, you could add 'himself' after 'he'.
** An ancestor is usually someone long dead. Is that what you meant?

Wonder123Her sister told her, that she will go to the fruit store and buy some fruits for her while getting back from the office, so this girl is eagerly waiting for her sister to get back home.

This would be much more straightforward if you named the girl

Emma's sister told her that she would go to the fruit shop on the way home from the office to buy some fruit for her*, so Emma is eagerly waiting for her sister to get (back) home.

* This 'her' must be Emma; if the fruit were for the sister, you'd use 'herself. In any case, if 'her' were the sister Emma would not be eagerly waiting for her sister's return.

Confusing pronoun when describing the action about same gender.

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