Using pronouns

This task is about using pronouns to include or exclude people.

illustration: Jacinda Ardern with a megaphone

Public speakers usually want their audience to agree with them and to be against the ideas that they are against. Speakers often use 'including' or 'excluding' pronouns to do this.

Read the following extract from a speech. The pronouns have been identified for you.

Decide what type each pronoun is by highlighting it with the relevant colour from the three boxes on the next screen.

Question Change answer

Pronouns that include the audience with the speaker. (Yellow)
Pronouns that exclude, or distance, the audience from someone or something. (Green)
None of the above. (Pink)

	As the chairperson of the Board of Trustees I would like to invite all of (1) you to be part of the decisions (2) we need to make tonight. The local energy company plan to build a power station next to the school. (3) They think it's a good idea. But have they considered (4) us in this plan? (5) I think not! (6) Their agenda is not our future! (7) Our students will all be affected by this proposal. If we let (8) those power hungry bureaucrats get the plans approved, then we can say goodbye to our school as (9) it is today.

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Using pronouns

Using pronouns

Question Change answer

	Y10 (05/2003)
1. you – inclusive pronoun 2. we – inclusive pronoun 3. They – excluding 4. us – inclusive pronoun 5. I – neutral 6. Their – excluding 7. our – inclusive pronoun 8. those – excluding 9. it – neutral	easy easy easy very easy moderate easy very easy easy easy