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Question

Difficulty: MediumShifts in Construction

Which pronoun correctly fills the blank to ensure that the passage maintains a consistent third-person plural perspective and avoids a shift in pronoun person?

Answer:Although volunteer firefighters undergo rigorous physical training, they must also master complex safety protocols. If 【they】 fail to follow these guidelines during an emergency, the consequences can be disastrous.

Answer

they
The pronoun 'they' is correct because it maintains the third-person plural perspective established by 'volunteer firefighters' and 'they' in the first sentence, and it agrees with the plural verb 'fail' in the second sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject and pronoun person established in the first sentence.
The first sentence establishes a third-person plural perspective using the plural noun 'volunteer firefighters' and the plural pronoun 'they'.
This sets the grammatical point of view that must be maintained throughout the entire passage.
2
Analyze the verb following the blank in the second sentence.
The verb 'fail' is plural, which matches a plural subject.
This confirms that the blank must be filled with a plural pronoun.
3
Select the pronoun that maintains the third-person plural perspective without shifting to second-person ('you') or singular third-person ('one').
The pronoun 'they' fits the blank grammatically and maintains a consistent point of view.
Using 'they' prevents an unnecessary shift in pronoun person.

Key Concept

Shifts in pronoun person occur when a writer unnecessarily changes point of view (such as shifting from the third person 'they' to the second person 'you'). Maintaining a consistent pronoun person ensures clarity and grammatical agreement.
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Shifts in Construction

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