Predictability-based accounts of referring expression production argue that speakers should use shorter referring expressions (pronouns, vs. names or descriptions) for more predictable referents. We present two studies, using corpus-based and passage completion methodologies, which replicate and expand upon previous studies arguing for and against the role of predictability in referring expression choice (Tily & Piantadosi, 2009; Rohde & Kehler, 2014). The results suggest that, while speakers appear driven to reduce lengthy referring expressions where possible, referent predictability does not play a role in referring expression choice in English.