Personal pronoun exercises

Personal pronouns draw your readers in. They make your content sound more engaging. And they help shorten sentences, particularly if your organisation has a long name. Use 'we' to refer to your organisation and 'you' to refer to your readers.

Exercise 1

Identify any personal pronouns in the following sentences.

  1. We offer loans, leases and hire purchase plans to help you purchase equipment for your business.
  2. Most applicants to undergraduate courses apply through VTAC or UAC.
  3. Large groups should book ahead by contacting our Court Guide Supervisor.
  4. Offset your personal, business or event greenhouse gas emissions with our easy to use carbon calculator.
  5. The XYZ Company Interim Results material is provided for the information of shareholders and does not constitute an invitation or inducement to enter into any investment activity.

Exercise 2

Identify words or phrases in the following sentences that could be replaced by personal pronouns

  1. Only open once or twice a year, this is a rare opportunity to see inside the Memorial's storage area of large technology items.
  2. At ABC University students are challenged to be leaders and thinkers; to develop initiative, enterprise, ambition and a lifelong commitment to making a meaningful contribution in their field.
  3. Australians are proud of their sporting ability and reputation as a nation of good sports.
  4. Telco Co. has established 3G Roaming with the following Countries/Carriers:
  5. The department has a community engagement policy, planner, toolbox and resource guide to enhance interactions with communities.

Exercise 3

Rewrite the following sentences using personal pronouns.

  1. The City of Northern has released a far-reaching framework for development in the city and wants to hear the public's views on what is proposed.
  2. Failure to present for an examination through misreading the timetable is not sufficient grounds for special consideration.
  3. The State Library operates closed book stacks which means readers are unable to browse the Library shelves to retrieve material. Instead, readers use the catalogue to find and order what they need from our collections. That material is then delivered to the reading room via our collection delivery service.
  4. Council is committed to consulting with the community about important projects and initiatives. There are many ways members of the community can have their say, from joining committees, commenting on exhibition items to attending Community Forums.
  5. An Energy scholarship offers much more than coaching and facilities—Athletes who join the Energy family become part of a unique community of people with diverse interests who learn, train, celebrate and excel together.

See: exercise solutions