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Difficulty: MediumPronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Neither the chief executive officer nor the board members would discuss its views on the upcoming merger during the press conference.

Which choice best replaces the underlined portion to ensure correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. theirAnswer
  3. C
    they're
  4. D
    his or her

Answer

their
The correct pronoun is 'their' because it is plural and possessive, which properly agrees with the plural antecedent 'board members'—the noun closer to the pronoun in the compound subject joined by 'nor'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the underlined pronoun.
The pronoun refers to the compound subject joined by 'nor': 'Neither the chief executive officer nor the board members'.
Determining the noun or nouns being replaced is the first step in establishing agreement.
2
Apply the proximity rule for compound subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor'.
The pronoun must agree in number with the closer antecedent, which is 'board members' (plural).
Standard grammar rules dictate that when parts of a compound subject are joined by 'or' or 'nor', the pronoun agrees with the nearest noun.
3
Select the possessive pronoun that matches the required number.
The plural possessive pronoun is 'their'.
A plural possessive pronoun is required to show possession for the plural noun 'board members'.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Compound Subjects
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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