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Difficulty: MediumPronoun Case and Person

During the archaeological dig, the site director explained to the assistant and I that if one wants to catalog an artifact properly, you must record it's dimensions immediately.

Which of the following choices is the most grammatically correct replacement for the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. me that if you want to catalog an artifact properly, you must record itsAnswer
  3. C
    me that if you want to catalog an artifact properly, you must record it's
  4. D
    I that if you want to catalog an artifact properly, you must record its

Answer

The correct option is the one that replaces the underlined text with 'me that if you want to catalog an artifact properly, you must record its'.
The correct choice uses the objective pronoun 'me' because it is part of the compound object of the preposition 'to' ('to the assistant and me'). It also maintains consistency in pronoun person by using 'you' in both parts of the conditional clause, and uses the possessive pronoun 'its' rather than the contraction 'it's' to show ownership of the dimensions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the correct pronoun case for the compound construction after the preposition 'to'.
The pronoun is part of the compound object of the preposition 'to' ('explained to the assistant and [pronoun]'). Thus, the objective case pronoun 'me' must be used instead of the subjective 'I'.
Pronouns following prepositions must be in the objective case.
2
Check for pronoun person consistency within the conditional clause.
The phrase 'one wants... you must' shifts inconsistently from the third-person 'one' to the second-person 'you'. Using 'you want... you must' keeps the perspective consistent.
Writing must maintain a consistent pronoun person and perspective.
3
Determine whether to use the contraction 'it's' or the possessive pronoun 'its'.
The word modifies 'dimensions', indicating possession. Therefore, the possessive pronoun 'its' is correct, while the contraction 'it's' (meaning 'it is') is incorrect.
Contractions and possessives are homophones but have distinct functions.

Key Concept

Pronouns must match the required case (subjective vs. objective) based on their grammatical role, maintain consistent person (perspective) within a sentence, and avoid homophone confusion between contractions and possessive pronouns.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun Case and Person

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