Indefinite personal pronouns are used to talk about people in general. They do not refer to any particular person. Can you use them correctly?
Fill in the blanks with an appropriate indefinite pronoun.
1............... can't learn a new language in a week.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"One" and "You" can both mean people in general.
2............... should never tolerate injustice.
Wrong!
"One" is a formal way to talk about people in general.
3How ............... get to Calicut?
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"Does one" and "do you" can both ask about people in general.
4............... can find lots of people who speak English in India.
Wrong!
"One" means people in general in this formal statement.
5............... knocked at the door.
Wrong!
"Somebody" means an unknown person in a specific situation.
6............... do not allow smoking in the kitchen.
Wrong!
"They" can mean the people in authority when we do not name them.
7Centuries ago ............... believed that the sun went around the earth.
Wrong!
"They" refers generally to people in the past here.
8............... should knock before walking into somebody's room.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"You" and "One" can both give a general rule for everyone.
9One should never hide anything from ............... doctor or lawyer.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
"His" and "one's" can both refer back to "One" in this sentence.
10............... say her marriage is in trouble.
Wrong!
"They" is used in "They say" to mean people in general.
11............... doesn't know what to do in such situations.
Wrong!
"One" means people in general in this formal statement.
12............... going to widen the road.
Wrong!
"They are" refers to the unnamed people responsible for the work.
Answers
- One / You can’t learn a new language in a week.
- One should never tolerate injustice.
- How does one / do you get to Calicut?
- One can find lots of people who speak English in India.
- Somebody knocked at the door.
- They do not allow smoking in the kitchen.
- Centuries ago they believed that the sun went around the earth.
- You / One should knock before walking into somebody’s room.
- One should never hide anything from his / one’s doctor or lawyer.
- They say her marriage is in trouble.
- One doesn’t know what to do in such situations.
- They are going to widen the road.