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Difficulty: EasyPronoun-Antecedent Agreement

During the annual migration, the herd of wild wildebeests travels hundreds of miles across the Serengeti to find fresh grass for their survival.

Which of the following options is the best replacement for the underlined pronoun?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. itsAnswer
  3. C
    its'
  4. D
    they're

Answer

its
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly matches the singular collective noun antecedent 'herd'. Even though the herd contains multiple wildebeests, the noun itself is grammatically singular and requires a singular pronoun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the underlined pronoun.
The antecedent is the collective noun 'herd'.
To ensure correct agreement, we must first locate the noun that the pronoun is replacing or referring to.
2
Determine the grammatical number (singular or plural) of the antecedent.
The collective noun 'herd' is singular.
Although the herd consists of many wildebeests, the noun 'herd' itself functions as a single, singular unit.
3
Choose the possessive pronoun that is singular and matches the neuter gender of 'herd'.
The singular possessive pronoun is 'its'.
The pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent. The plural possessive 'their' and the contraction 'they're' are incorrect, and 'its'' is not a valid word.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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