ANAPHORIC AND

CATAPHORIC
REFERENCES
XII
 Anaphoric Reference
• Anaphoric reference means that a word in a text refers back to other ideas in
the text for its meaning. It can be compared with cataphoric reference.
It occurs when a word or phrase refers to something mentioned earlier in the
discourse.
• Example
‘I went out with Jo on Sunday. She looked awful.' ´She` clearly refers to Jo,
there is no need to repeat her name which means a word refers to ideas later
in the text. Michael went to the bank. He was annoyed because it was closed.
• He refers to Michael.
it refers to the bank.
 Anaphoric
• Anaphoric reference often makes use of the definite article the,
because one of the functions of the definite article is to indicate
that something has already been mentioned. Here’s another
example:
• He sat down at the table and took a small box from his pocket. The
object felt heavy in his hands. Inside it was the key to his future.
• Both the object and it refer back to a small box in the first sentence.
• Example:
• I went out with Jo on Sunday. She looked awful. ('She' clearly refers
to 'Jo', there is no need to repeat her name.)
 Anaphora
• E.g. “When Ana entered the room, she was
distraught.”
• The pronoun she refers back to Ana and is
considered an anaphoric reference. Conversely, a
cataphoric reference refers forward to another
element. 
 Cataphoric Reference
• Cataphoric reference occurs when a word or phrase refers to
something mentioned later in the discourse.
• Here are some examples of cataphoric reference:
• Although I phone her every week, my mother still complains that
I don’t keep in touch often enough.
• Her refers to my mother.
• The book was there on the table. I’d never read Moby Dick and I
didn’t intend to do so now.
• The book refers to Moby Dick.
 Cataphoric
• E.g.  “It entered silently, the cat was a supreme hunter.”
• Here the word it refers forward to the cat. It is a cataphoric
reference.
• Cataphoric reference means that a word in a text refers to
another later in the text and you need to look forward to understand.
•
Example:
• When he arrived, John noticed that the door was open. ('He' refers to
'John.')
Difference Between Anaphoric and Cataphoric
Reference

•E.g. “When Ana entered the room, she was

distraught.” The pronoun she refers back to Ana
and is considered an anaphoric reference.

• Conversely, a cataphoric reference refers forward

to another element. E.g. “It entered silently, the
cat was a supreme hunter.”