Reading Test

Part 5
Incomplete Sentences
Focus: Improving your knowledge of pronouns Use of pronouns is tested in Part 5. Being
aware of how they are used can help you improve your score.

1. Language building: Subject/object personal pronouns

A. For each of the following sentences decide whether the missing word is a subject (S) or
object (O). The first one has been done for you.

1. Ms. Smithers will attend the function, but her sister will not be coming with (O)
2. The president gave a presentation while (S) took extensive notes.
3. I bought my wife a watch but she told me (O) didn't fit properly
4. When Jack arrived at the meeting, the other members were already waiting for (O)
5. The letter from Mr. Bildy's bank requested that (S) verify some personal details.
6. The members were upset that dinner hadn't been arranged for (O)

B. Choose the best pronoun from the list below to complete each of the sentences above. The
first one has been done for you.

Subject Pronouns Object Pronouns

I (2) he me him (4)
You (5) she you her (1)
we it us it(3)
they them (6)

C. For each of the following sentences decide whether the missing word is a possessive pronoun
(P) or a possessive adjective (A). The first one has been done for you.

1. I would like to confirm that responsibility for the decision was (P) alone.
2. Ms. Evans was given a gift to commemorate (A) years of service.
3. Once you sign the contract, the property will be (P) to do with as you like
4. The men have agreed to sell (A) half of the business.
5. I believe your shop is responsible for the damage to (A) car.
6. Tom Baxter started the program last year, so all the credit should be (P)

D. Choose the best pronoun from the list below to complete each of the sentences above. The
first one has been done for you.

Possessive Pronouns ours His (6) (Not common)

Mine (1) Theirs hers Possessive Adjectives
Yours (3) its my
your (5) their (4) his (2) its
our her
Follow up: Compare choices with your partner, then make one or two similar sentences with
the pronouns/adjectives you didn't use.

2. Test tactic: Indefinite pronouns

Use the Test tip on this page to help you choose the answer choice that best matches each
sentence below. The first one is done for you.

1. (A) of the things that local people make (A) Some

would be in high demand on the open market. (B) Another
(C) Anybody
2. (D) told me that I had to submit the (D) Nobody
request three weeks in advance.

3. I can't think of (B) else we could find a (A) either

better location for the new branch. (B) somebody
(C) anywhere
4. John isn't riding his motorcycle because (D) both
(D) of its tires are flat.

5 Please send (A) of your receipts to the (A) all

payroll section for speedy repayment. (B) every
(C) any
(D) many
6. The failed project has left us without (C) .
working capital for the coming quarter.

3. Tactic practice
Use the tactics you have practiced to answer the following questions.
1. Please do not hesitate to contact us if (D) herself
there is (A) else I can do to assist.
(A) Anything 3. Our client is dissatisfied with the
(B) anybody severance package offered to (D)
(C) anywhere (A) he
(D) anyway (B) himself
(C) his
2. Ms. Bell has agreed to let us use the (D) him
report (B) prepared.
(A) her 4. I'm afraid we do not have (A)
(B) she option but to complain to the union.
(C) hers (A) any
(B) each (D) a lot
(C) some
5. Jane and her new assistant attended the 6. Unfortunately we cannot include (C)
conference and (C) were amazed at the in the list of presenters.
huge turnout. (A) they
(A) either (B) their
(B) each (C) them
(C) both (D) themselves
(D) any

B. Mini-test
Now apply what you have learnt at the actual test speed with questions 1-12.
Recommended Time: 6 minutes (or less)
Try using the 2 pass method to help you make the most of the time available. Try to spend no
more than about 30 seconds on each item. If you don't know the answer, guess and move on.

1. Ms. Janus was not sure that there was

(D)we could have done to win the account.
(A) everyone 5. If your car is not fixed by the weekend
(B) everything you can borrow (D) to pick up your mother
(C) anything (A) mine
(D) anyone (B) any
(C) some
2. The director was very (D) to your (D) other
ideas for revising our sales approach.
(A) receiving 6. Bickertons has put in bids for several
(B) received (D) Construction contracts as part of its
(C) reception urban renewal plan.
(D) receptive (A) valuably
(B) values
3. In this situation I feel we must (C) value
acknowledge (D) shared responsibility. (D) valuable
(A) i
(B) my 7. Our agents have informed us that (A) of
(C) us the containers were damaged in transit.
(D) our (A) one
(B) several
4. The convention center is (D) the (C) any
office but on the other side of the river. (D) much
(A) between
(B) against 8. Our new line of women's fashions
(C) along has proven (C) to be a top seller
(D) near (A) its
(B) hers
(C) herself (D) either
(D) itself
11. No group meetings are (D) unless
special circumstances call for on-site
9. (C) of the management staff realized the evaluations of ongoing projects.
amount of time and effort that had gone (A) necessitate
into the job. (B) necessarily
(A) Every (C) necessity
(B) Any (D) necessary
(C) Few
(D) Someone 12. The results show that the decision to
promote (A) was entirely appropriate.
10. In my opinion, (C) of the candidates is (A) you
particularly suitable for the position. (B) your
(A) neither (C) yourself
(B) both (D) yours
(C) all
Reading Test Part 5
Grammar practice
A. Pronouns allow us to talk without having to repeat the same wards over and over again.
Look at the story of Goldilocks and the three bears. Chose pronouns from the box below to
replace the words in brackets to make the story sound better.

It his Someone they she her my their

The story of her (Goldilocks) and them (the three bears)

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Galdillocks. One day (Goldilocks) (1) (She)
went for a walk in the forest. After a while (Galdilocks) (2) (She) came upon a house. The
door was open so (Galdilocks) (3) (It) went in.
On the kitchen table, there were three bowls of porridge. Galdilocks was hungy, so
(Galdilocks) (4) (She) tasted the porridge from the first bowl.
“(This porridge) (5) (It) ‘s too hot!” (Goldilacks) (6) (She) exclaimed.
So, (Goldilocks) (7) (She) tasted the porridge from the second bowl.
“(This porridge) (8) (It) ‘s too cold," (Goldilocks) (9) (She) said.
So, (Goldilocks) (10) (She) tasted the last bowl of porridge.
“Ahhh, this porridge is just right," (Goldilocks) (11) (She) said happily and ate (the porridge)
(12) (It) all up.
Goldilocks was very tired, so (Goldilocks) (13) (She) went to the bed room, (Goldilocks)
(14) (She) lay in the first bed, but (the bed) (15) (It) was too hard. Then she lay in the second
bed, but (the bed) (16) (It) was too soft. Then (Goldilocks) (17) (She) lay down in the third
bed and (the bed) (18) (It) was just right, so (Goldilocks) (19) (She) fell asleep.

Soon the three bears came home.

“(An unknown person) (20) (Someone's been eating (Papa bear’s) (21) (My) porridge,”
growled the Papa bear.
Then Mama bear saw that (an unknown person) (22) (They) had been eating (Mama bear's)
(23) (My) porridge too.
Suddenly Baby bear noticed that (an unknown person) (24) (They) had been eating (Baby
bear's) (25) (My) porridge too. And (the unknown person or persons) (26) (They) ate (Baby
bear's porridge) (27) (It) all up!”

(The bears) (28) (They) decided to look around (the bear's) (29) (Their) house some more
and when (the bears) (30) (They) got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled,
“(An unknown person) (31) (Someone)'s been sleeping in (Papa bear's) (32) (His) bed.”
“(An unknown person) (33) (Someone)'s been sleeping in (Mama bear's) (34) (Her) bed, too”
said the Mama bear.
“(An unknown person) (35)(Someone)'s been sleeping in (Baby bear's) (36) (My) bed and
(a female person) (37) (She) 's still there!” exclaimed Baby bear.

Just then,Goldilacks woke up and saw the three bears. (Goldilocks) (38) (She) screamed,
“Help!” and (She)

B. How do you think It ends? Finish the story, using pronouns correctly. In the next lesson
share your story with your classmates. How was your ending different from theirs?