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Difficulty: MediumPronoun Case and Person

Before beginning the subterranean mapping project, the lead seismologist reminded the field technicians and they that its essential to calibrate the sensors before the simulation begins.

Which of the following is the best replacement for the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. them that it's essential to calibrate the sensorsAnswer
  3. C
    them that its essential to calibrate the sensors
  4. D
    they that it's essential to calibrate the sensors

Answer

The correct answer is the option that uses the objective pronoun 'them' and the contraction 'it's'.
The correct choice uses the objective pronoun 'them' because it serves as the object of the verb 'reminded'. It also uses the contraction 'it's' (meaning 'it is') to properly introduce the adjective 'essential'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the correct case for the pronoun in the compound object.
The pronoun follows the verb 'reminded' and is part of a compound direct object ('reminded the field technicians and...'). Therefore, it must be in the objective case ('them' rather than 'they').
Objects of verbs must always be in the objective case.
2
Determine the correct word choice between 'its' and 'it's'.
The sentence requires the contraction 'it is' ('it's') because it is followed by the adjective 'essential'. Using 'its' would be incorrect because 'its' is a possessive pronoun.
Contractions and possessive pronouns are homophones but have distinct grammatical functions.

Key Concept

Pronoun Case and Person
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun Case and Person

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