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Question

Difficulty: MediumPronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence below to ensure proper pronoun-antecedent agreement?

Answer:The council of neighborhood representatives voiced 【its】 unanimous opposition to the proposed zoning changes during the municipal hearing.

Answer

its
The pronoun refers to the collective noun 'council.' Because the members of the council are acting together as a single unit to voice a unanimous decision, the noun is singular and requires the singular possessive pronoun 'its' for correct agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the pronoun.
The antecedent is the noun phrase 'The council of neighborhood representatives.'
To ensure correct agreement, the pronoun must match the noun phrase it replaces or refers back to.
2
Determine if the collective noun 'council' is singular or plural in this context.
The council is acting as a single, unified group (indicated by the word 'unanimous'). Therefore, it functions as a singular noun.
Collective nouns take singular pronouns when the group acts as a single unit.
3
Select the correct possessive pronoun that matches the singular antecedent.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' is selected.
Using 'its' ensures proper pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Collective Nouns
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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