Sentences containing the phrase “as such” are frequent sites of unclear writing. For some reason, the structure created when employing the phrase is very prone to vague antecedents (i.e. the specific noun that a pronoun refers to).
That pronoun “such” (as used in “as such) is typically used in longer sentences, where it appears as part of a compound or complex structure. When employed, “such” always refers to a subject in the parts of the sentence before it. If you have several clauses appearing prior to using it, though, the whole thing can end up just a little strange-looking.
Under the guidelines of clear writing, the antecedent should be easily identifiable once the pronoun is encountered. If a reader could interpret it in more than one way, then you’ve failed to put together a clearly-written text. Take this sentence as an example:
“During the last episode of Dexter, where FBI profiler Lundy was killed, Quinn got back with his reporter girlfriend who has been using him as a source and, as such, spent the rest of the show with a shit-eating grin on his face.”
In the above sentence, the pronoun “such” can refer to “being used as a source” or “Quinn getting back with his reported girlfriend.” It actually refers to the latter, but figuring that out can take more than just a cursory glance. In such situations, you can end up forcing the reader to pause and sort out your mess of words before being able to proceed with the rest of the material. Make sure to fix these instances, especially when your English proofreading software points them out.
