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Question

Difficulty: MediumApostrophes for Possessives and Contractions

Although the botanist collected samples from multiple orchids, she noted that the single rare flowers' vibrant color had lost it's intensity when kept in the shade. Which of the following is the best replacement for the underlined portion?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. flower's vibrant color had lost itsAnswer
  3. C
    flower's vibrant color had lost it's
  4. D
    flowers' vibrant color had lost its

Answer

flower's vibrant color had lost its
The context specifies a 'single rare' orchid, which requires the singular possessive noun 'flower's'. Additionally, the possessive pronoun 'its' is required to show possession of the intensity, as the contraction 'it's' (meaning 'it is') is grammatically incorrect in this position.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the noun modifying 'vibrant color' is singular or plural.
The context mentions a 'single rare' orchid, indicating that the noun must be singular possessive: 'flower's'.
An apostrophe followed by 's' is used to show possession for singular nouns.
2
Determine whether to use a contraction or a possessive pronoun for the word indicating ownership of intensity.
The word refers to the intensity belonging to the color, requiring the possessive pronoun 'its'.
The form 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has' and cannot be used to show possession.

Key Concept

Apostrophes for Possessives and Contractions
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Topics

Apostrophes for Possessives and Contractions

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