Examkin

Conventions of Usage

416 questions

All types416Multiple choice274True / False10Ordering7Fill in the blank125
Question 41Question →

During the annual migration, the herd of wild wildebeests travels hundreds of miles across the Serengeti to find fresh grass for their survival.

Which of the following options is the best replacement for the underlined pronoun?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: its

Answer

its
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly matches the singular collective noun antecedent 'herd'. Even though the herd contains multiple wildebeests, the noun itself is grammatically singular and requires a singular pronoun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the underlined pronoun.
The antecedent is the collective noun 'herd'.
To ensure correct agreement, we must first locate the noun that the pronoun is replacing or referring to.
2
Determine the grammatical number (singular or plural) of the antecedent.
The collective noun 'herd' is singular.
Although the herd consists of many wildebeests, the noun 'herd' itself functions as a single, singular unit.
3
Choose the possessive pronoun that is singular and matches the neuter gender of 'herd'.
The singular possessive pronoun is 'its'.
The pronoun must agree in number and gender with its antecedent. The plural possessive 'their' and the contraction 'they're' are incorrect, and 'its'' is not a valid word.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Estimated Time:45s
Question 42Question →

The following passage is about gallery design. Which present-tense form of the verb 'present' should be typed in the blank to ensure proper subject-verb agreement?

Fill in the blanks below

The curation of contemporary art exhibits requires careful planning. Each of the new gallery spaces unique challenges for the lighting design team.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

presents
The singular indefinite pronoun 'Each' acts as the subject of the sentence, which requires the singular verb form 'presents'. The plural noun 'spaces' is part of the prepositional phrase 'of the new gallery spaces' and does not affect the agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical subject of the clause.
The subject is the indefinite pronoun 'Each'.
The verb must agree in number with its subject rather than any nouns in modifying phrases.
2
Determine if the subject is singular or plural.
The pronoun 'Each' is singular.
Indefinite pronouns such as 'each', 'either', and 'everyone' are grammatically singular.
3
Disregard any intervening phrases between the subject and the verb.
The prepositional phrase 'of the new gallery spaces' modifies the subject but does not change its grammatical number.
Intervening phrases often contain plural nouns that can mislead readers into choosing a plural verb.
4
Select the correct singular present-tense form of the verb.
The correct form is 'presents'.
A singular subject requires a singular verb ending in '-s' in the present tense.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns and Intervening Phrases
Question 43Question →

Historically, communities in arid climates have struggled to secure reliable water sources. Among the most remarkable achievements of ancient engineering, the network of subterranean aqueducts known as qanats, which was developed in Persia thousands of years ago, still supply water to communities in modern-day Iran. By tapping into mountain aquifers, these systems deliver water entirely by gravity.

Which option is the correct form of the underlined verb in the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: supplies

Answer

supplies
The singular verb 'supplies' is correct because the subject of the clause is 'network', which is singular. The plural nouns 'aqueducts' and 'qanats' are object nouns within modifying phrases and do not affect the subject-verb agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the verb in question.
The subject is the singular noun 'network'.
To ensure correct subject-verb agreement, we must locate the noun that performs the action.
2
Analyze intervening phrases and clauses to avoid distractor nouns.
Phrases like 'of subterranean aqueducts', 'known as qanats', and the clause 'which was developed...' contain plural nouns ('aqueducts', 'qanats', 'years'), but they are modifier phrases that do not change the singular nature of the subject 'network'.
Identifying modifier phrases prevents matching the verb to nearby plural nouns instead of the actual subject.
3
Select the verb form that matches the singular subject in the present tense.
The singular verb form is 'supplies'.
A singular subject requires a singular verb form to maintain proper grammatical agreement.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases
Estimated Time:45s
Question 44Question →

Although the board of directors debated the corporate restructuring proposal for hours, neither of the executive factions was willing to compromise on their demands.

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: its

Answer

The correct option is the singular possessive pronoun 'its,' which properly agrees with the singular antecedent 'neither' and serves as the possessive modifier for 'demands.'
The singular indefinite pronoun 'neither' is the true grammatical antecedent in this sentence. Even though it is followed by the plural phrase 'of the executive factions,' the pronoun must remain singular. The word 'its' is the correct singular possessive pronoun needed to modify the noun 'demands.'

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the pronoun being tested and identify its antecedent in the sentence.
The underlined pronoun refers back to the subject phrase 'neither of the executive factions.' The head of this phrase is the indefinite pronoun 'neither.'
Pronouns must agree in number, gender, and person with their grammatical antecedents.
2
Determine the grammatical number of the antecedent.
The indefinite pronoun 'neither' is singular. The plural noun 'factions' is part of an intervening prepositional phrase ('of the executive factions') and does not dictate the number of the pronoun.
Identifying the true singular antecedent prevents agreement errors caused by intervening plural nouns.
3
Eliminate grammatically incorrect options based on number and word function.
Eliminate the plural possessive pronoun 'their' (represented by NO CHANGE) and the plural contraction 'they're.' Next, differentiate between the singular possessive pronoun 'its' and the contraction 'it's' (it is). The sentence requires a possessive modifier for 'demands,' making 'its' the correct choice.
Choosing the correct form requires recognizing both agreement rules and homophone distinctions.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Estimated Time:45s
Question 45Question →

The panel of judicial experts, which had been assembled to review the controversial trial, was scheduled to announce their final ruling on Friday morning.

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: its

Answer

The singular possessive pronoun 'its' is the correct replacement because it agrees in number with the singular collective noun antecedent 'panel'.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' matches the singular collective noun antecedent 'panel'. Although the phrase 'of judicial experts' contains a plural noun directly preceding the pronoun, the pronoun must agree with the head of the noun phrase, which is the singular 'panel'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the antecedent that the underlined pronoun refers to.
The pronoun refers to 'the panel of judicial experts'. The true antecedent is the collective noun 'panel', which acts as a singular unit in this context.
Pronouns must agree in number (singular vs. plural) with the nouns they replace.
2
Simplify the sentence by temporarily removing intervening clauses and prepositional phrases.
The simplified sentence reads: 'The panel... was scheduled to announce its/their final ruling.'
The plural noun 'experts' and the relative clause 'which had been assembled...' act as distractors that separate the true subject from the pronoun.
3
Determine the correct form of the singular possessive pronoun.
'its' is possessive and singular. The option 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is', and the options containing 'their' or 'they're' are plural.
Only 'its' maintains both the singular number agreement and the possessive case required to modify 'final ruling'.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Collective Nouns
Question 46Question →

During the inspection of the suspension bridge, the team leader determined that the task of checking the tension cables should be assigned to the lead technician and he, since they're experience with high-altitude rigging was unmatched.

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: him, since their

Answer

The correct option is 'him, since their'.
The correct choice replaces the subjective pronoun 'he' with the objective pronoun 'him' because it functions as a compound object of the preposition 'to'. It also replaces the contraction 'they're' (they are) with the possessive pronoun 'their' to correctly modify 'experience'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the role of the pronoun after the preposition 'to'.
The pronoun is part of a compound object ('assigned to the lead technician and...'). Therefore, it must be in the objective case ('him' instead of 'he').
Prepositions require objects to be in the objective case.
2
Analyze the homophone usage modifying 'experience'.
The word modifies 'experience' to show possession, so the possessive pronoun 'their' must be used instead of the contraction 'they're' (which means 'they are').
A possessive pronoun is needed to indicate ownership of the noun 'experience'.
3
Select the option that combines both correct forms.
The combination of 'him' and 'their' forms 'him, since their'.
This choice resolves both the pronoun case error and the homophone confusion.

Key Concept

Pronoun Case in Compound Objects and Possessive Pronoun Homophones
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 47Question →

A modern technology company has recently launched a new product. To complete the sentence with grammatically correct pronoun-antecedent agreement, which pronoun should you write in the blank?

Fill in the blanks below

The newly formed tech company, despite facing several setbacks in the first quarter, successfully released first software update to the public.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

its
The possessive pronoun 'its' correctly agrees in number with the singular antecedent 'company'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the missing pronoun.
The antecedent is 'company'.
The pronoun refers back to the entity that released the software update, which is 'the newly formed tech company'.
2
Determine the grammatical number and person of the antecedent.
The noun 'company' is singular and third-person.
A single corporate entity acts as a singular unit in standard written English.
3
Choose the possessive pronoun that matches these properties.
The correct pronoun is 'its'.
The pronoun must be singular, third-person, and possessive to show ownership of the 'first software update'.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Question 48Question →

The annual migration of monarch butterflies spans thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico. A single cluster of these orange-and-black insects [underline]are[/underline] capable of covering tree trunks completely during the winter months. Which choice best corrects the underlined portion of the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: is

Answer

is
The correct answer is the singular present-tense verb 'is'. The true subject of the clause is 'A single cluster', which is singular. The prepositional phrase 'of these orange-and-black insects' separates the subject from the verb but does not affect the agreement. The verb must also remain in the present tense to match the present-tense verb 'spans' established in the first sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true grammatical subject of the sentence.
The subject is the singular noun phrase 'A single cluster'.
The intervening phrase 'of these orange-and-black insects' contains a plural noun, but it acts as a prepositional modifier and does not change the singular nature of the true subject.
2
Select the verb form that agrees with the singular subject and maintains tense consistency.
The correct verb form is the singular, present-tense 'is'.
The verb must be singular to match the subject and present-tense to match 'spans' in the preceding sentence.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement
Estimated Time:45s
Question 49Question →

Read the sentence below. Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence to ensure proper pronoun-antecedent agreement? Write only the correct pronoun in the blank.

Fill in the blanks below

Neither of the international airlines has updated flight schedules to reflect the new safety regulations.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

its
The correct pronoun is 'its' because it correctly agrees in number with the singular indefinite pronoun antecedent 'Neither'. The intervening prepositional phrase 'of the international airlines' contains a plural noun, but it does not change the singular nature of the true antecedent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true antecedent of the missing pronoun.
The antecedent is 'Neither', which is a singular indefinite pronoun.
Although the prepositional phrase 'of the international airlines' contains the plural noun 'airlines', the subject and antecedent of the sentence is the pronoun 'Neither'.
2
Select the appropriate pronoun that matches the antecedent in number and gender.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' must be used because 'Neither' is singular and refers to inanimate corporate entities.
A pronoun must agree in number with its antecedent. Using the plural possessive pronoun 'their' would create a pronoun-antecedent agreement error.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Question 50Question →

The following sentence contains a blank where a pronoun has been omitted. Identify the pronoun that agrees in number and person with its noun antecedent to logically complete the sentence.

Fill in the blanks below

The consortium of research universities, which had spent years securing federal funding for the deep-space telescope, finally launched primary satellite.
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Answer

its
The correct pronoun is the singular possessive 'its' because the antecedent 'consortium' is a singular collective noun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent that the missing pronoun refers to.
The pronoun refers back to the subject phrase 'The consortium of research universities', where the head noun is the collective noun 'consortium'.
A pronoun must agree in number (singular or plural) with the noun or noun phrase it replaces.
2
Determine the grammatical number of the antecedent.
The head noun 'consortium' is a singular collective noun representing a single unified organization.
Although the consortium consists of multiple member universities, the group operates as a single entity in this context.
3
Select the singular possessive pronoun that matches the neuter, singular noun.
The singular possessive pronoun is 'its'.
'Its' is singular and neutral, which properly aligns with the singular collective noun 'consortium'.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Question 51Question →

In the sentence below, a pronoun is underlined.

"The science museum offered free admission tickets to my classmates and I for the weekend exhibition."

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: me

Answer

The correct pronoun to replace the underlined portion is 'me'.
The correct answer is 'me' because the pronoun functions as the object of the preposition 'to'. In compound objects (like 'my classmates and me'), the objective case pronoun must be used.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical role of the underlined pronoun.
The pronoun is part of the compound phrase 'my classmates and I', which follows the preposition 'to'.
Pronouns following prepositions function as objects and must be in the objective case.
2
Determine the correct pronoun case by isolating the pronoun.
Simplifying the sentence to 'offered tickets to me' shows that the objective pronoun 'me' is correct.
Using 'to I' is grammatically incorrect, so 'to me' is correct.

Key Concept

Pronoun Case in Compound Objects
Question 52Question →

Complete the sentence by typing the correct present-tense form of the verb 'to be' ('is' or 'are') in the blank to ensure proper subject-verb agreement.

Fill in the blanks below

Each of the old acoustic guitars in the workshop crafted from aged spruce wood.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

is
The correct word to fill in the blank is 'is'. The subject of the sentence is the indefinite pronoun 'Each', which is grammatically singular. The plural noun 'guitars' is part of the intervening prepositional phrase 'of the old acoustic guitars' and does not affect the agreement. Therefore, the singular verb 'is' is required.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the sentence.
The subject is 'Each', which is a singular indefinite pronoun.
Subject-verb agreement requires the verb to agree in number with the grammatical subject.
2
Identify any intervening phrases between the subject and the verb.
The phrase 'of the old acoustic guitars in the workshop' is a prepositional phrase that modifies the subject.
Nouns inside prepositional phrases (like the plural noun 'guitars') do not change the grammatical number of the subject.
3
Determine the correct verb form based on the subject's number.
The singular subject 'Each' requires the singular present-tense verb 'is'.
A singular subject must be paired with a singular verb form.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns and Intervening Phrases
Question 53Question →

While many scholars focus on the primary texts of the Byzantine Empire, neither of the newly cataloged manuscripts, which contain detailed accounts of daily court rituals and military expeditions, <u>have been</u> fully translated. Scholars believe these documents will shed light on the empire's complex administrative structures. Consequently, a team of linguists is preparing a comprehensive translation project.

Which of the following choices represents the correct grammatical form for the underlined portion of the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: has been

Answer

The correct answer is the option that replaces the underlined portion with 'has been'.
The correct answer is the option 'has been' because the subject of the clause is the singular indefinite pronoun 'neither'. The verb must be singular to agree with it, and the present perfect aspect 'has been' aligns with the present tense context established by 'focus' and 'believe'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the grammatical subject of the verb in the underlined portion.
The subject is the indefinite pronoun 'neither', which is singular.
Verb agreement must be determined by the singular subject 'neither', not the plural nouns in the intervening phrases.
2
Analyze the surrounding context to determine the appropriate verb tense.
The surrounding verbs ('focus', 'believe', 'is preparing') establish a present-tense context.
Maintaining tense consistency prevents unnecessary shifts in the narrative.
3
Select the verb form that satisfies both singular agreement and present perfect tense.
'has been' is the singular, present perfect form.
It resolves the subject-verb agreement error without introducing tense shifts.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Indefinite Pronouns and Intervening Phrases
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 54Question →

During their trip to the local history museum, Leo and his father admired the collection of antique pocket watches. His father was especially fascinated by the intricate gears, while Leo preferred the hand-carved wooden cases. After spending nearly an hour examining them, they decided to visit the museum's gift shop.

Which of the following choices best clarifies the underlined word in the passage?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: the watches

Answer

the watches
Replacing the pronoun with the specific noun 'the watches' resolves the ambiguity. The original pronoun 'them' could refer to 'pocket watches,' 'gears,' or 'cases,' which makes the reference unclear. By specifying 'the watches,' the sentence clearly communicates what the subjects were examining.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the underlined pronoun and its potential antecedents in the passage.
The pronoun is 'them'. The preceding sentences mention 'antique pocket watches', 'intricate gears', and 'wooden cases' as potential plural antecedents.
Before deciding on a correction, you must determine if the pronoun's reference is clear or ambiguous.
2
Evaluate the clarity of the pronoun 'them' in this context.
The reader cannot tell whether the father and son spent an hour examining the watches as a whole, just the gears, or just the wooden cases.
An ambiguous pronoun reference must be replaced by a specific noun to ensure clarity.
3
Select the option that replaces the pronoun with a specific, clear noun without adding wordiness.
Replacing 'them' with 'the watches' clearly identifies the object of their examination.
This is the most concise and precise correction that resolves the ambiguity.

Key Concept

Pronoun Clarity and Reference
Question 55Question →

The lead designer told the engineering team that the collaboration between the software developers and she, since their work would dictate the layout of the user interface.

Which of the following choices best replaces the underlined portion of the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: her, since their

Answer

The choice that uses the objective pronoun 'her' and the possessive pronoun 'their' is correct.
The correct option correctly uses the objective pronoun 'her' as the object of the preposition 'between' and uses the possessive pronoun 'their' to correctly modify the noun 'work'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical role of the pronoun following the preposition.
The pronoun is part of the compound object 'between the software developers and [pronoun]'.
Objects of prepositions must be in the objective case.
2
Determine the correct case for the pronoun.
The objective form of the third-person singular feminine pronoun is 'her'.
'She' is a subjective pronoun, whereas 'her' is the objective pronoun.
3
Evaluate the homophone following the pronoun.
The sentence requires the possessive pronoun 'their' to modify the noun 'work'.
The contraction 'they're' stands for 'they are', which creates an ungrammatical fragment: 'since they are work'.

Key Concept

Pronoun Case in Compound Objects and Homophone Distinction
Question 56Question →

The passage below contains verbs in parentheses. To establish proper subject-verb agreement throughout the passage, what are the correct present-tense forms of the verbs that should replace the blanks?

Fill in the blanks below

Neither the lead researchers studying the geothermal anomalies nor the chief volcanologist supervising the project (expect) that the new data will contradict established models. Indeed, key among the findings that have emerged from the deep-sea expeditions (be) the discovery of several previously unknown extremophile species.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct present-tense forms are 'expects' for the first blank and 'is' for the second blank.
For the first blank, the compound subject is joined by 'neither... nor', so the verb must agree with the closer subject, 'the chief volcanologist' (singular), which requires the singular present-tense form 'expects'. For the second blank, the sentence has an inverted structure where the verb precedes the subject. The subject is the singular head noun 'discovery', which requires the singular present-tense verb 'is'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the verb in the first sentence.
The subject is a compound subject joined by the correlative conjunctions 'neither... nor': 'Neither the lead researchers... nor the chief volcanologist...'
When subjects are joined by 'neither... nor', the verb must agree with the subject closest to it.
2
Determine the agreement and form for the first blank.
The closer subject is 'the chief volcanologist', which is singular. Thus, the singular present-tense form 'expects' is required.
Matching the singular subject 'volcanologist' requires the singular form of the verb.
3
Identify the subject of the verb in the second sentence.
The sentence is inverted, meaning the subject follows the verb. The subject is the noun phrase 'the discovery of several previously unknown extremophile species'. The head noun of this phrase is 'discovery' (singular).
Inverted sentences place the verb before the subject, and intervening prepositional phrases do not affect agreement.
4
Determine the agreement and form for the second blank.
The singular subject 'discovery' requires the singular present-tense form of 'be', which is 'is'.
A singular subject must take a singular verb, despite the presence of intervening plural nouns like 'findings' or 'expeditions'.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 57Question →

Many tourists visit the botanical garden to see the exotic plants. A cluster of colorful orchids [1] grow near the entrance, attracting bees and butterflies alike. Visitors often stop to take photographs of the vibrant display.

Which of the following is the best replacement for the underlined portion marked [1]?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: grows

Answer

grows
The grammatical subject of the clause is the singular noun 'cluster'. The prepositional phrase 'of colorful orchids' contains a plural noun, but it does not change the number of the subject. Therefore, a singular verb is required. The verb form 'grows' is singular and fits the present-tense context of the passage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical subject of the clause.
The subject is the singular noun phrase 'A cluster'.
The verb must agree in number with this subject, not with the plural noun 'orchids' inside the intervening prepositional phrase.
2
Select the verb form that agrees with the singular subject 'cluster' in the present tense.
The singular present-tense verb is 'grows'.
This establishes grammatically correct subject-verb agreement.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Phrases
Question 58Question →

The ancient library of Alexandria, which once housed hundreds of thousands of papyrus scrolls, was renowned in the ancient world for their unparalleled collection of knowledge.

Which of the following choices is the grammatically correct replacement for the underlined word?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: its

Answer

its
The correct answer is the singular possessive pronoun 'its'. The antecedent of the pronoun is the singular, neuter noun 'library'. An intervening descriptive clause ('which once housed...') separates the antecedent from the pronoun, but the pronoun must still agree with the singular noun 'library'. Therefore, the singular possessive pronoun 'its' is the grammatically correct choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the underlined pronoun.
The antecedent is 'library', which is a singular, neuter noun.
Pronouns must agree in number (singular or plural) and gender with the noun they replace or refer to.
2
Determine the necessary grammatical form of the pronoun.
The sentence requires a singular possessive pronoun to describe the collection belonging to the library.
The pronoun must indicate possession and match the singular quantity of the antecedent.
3
Evaluate the choices to select the grammatically correct form.
'its' is the correct singular possessive pronoun. The original 'their' is plural, while 'it's' and 'they're' are contractions.
This step eliminates incorrect plural pronouns and contractions that do not show possession.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Estimated Time:45s
Question 59Question →

The sentence below has a blank where a verb is missing. Read the sentence carefully and determine the correct verb form. What is the correct present-tense form of the verb 'to be' that completes the sentence to maintain proper subject-verb agreement?

Fill in the blanks below

Neither of the research proposals submitted by the physics department, despite containing groundbreaking theories on quantum entanglement, considered viable by the review board.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct present-tense verb to fill the blank is 'is'.
The correct present-tense verb form is 'is' because the subject is 'neither,' which is a singular indefinite pronoun. Singular subjects require singular verbs, regardless of any intervening prepositional phrases ('of the research proposals...') or parenthetical modifiers ('despite containing groundbreaking theories...').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the subject of the clause.
The subject of the clause is the singular indefinite pronoun 'neither'. The phrase 'of the research proposals...' is a prepositional phrase modifying 'neither' and does not affect the number of the subject.
Subject-verb agreement is governed by the head noun or pronoun of the subject phrase, not by intervening prepositional modifiers.
2
Identify parenthetical or non-essential modifiers that intervene.
The phrase 'despite containing groundbreaking theories on quantum entanglement' is an appositive/parenthetical modifier. It contains plural nouns like 'theories' but does not change the singular nature of the subject.
Intervening phrases, clauses, or parentheticals do not change the number of the subject.
3
Match the singular subject with the correct present-tense form of the verb 'to be'.
The singular present-tense form of 'to be' is 'is'.
The singular subject 'neither' requires the singular verb 'is'.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns and Intervening Plural Modifiers
Question 60Question →

For the final concert of the summer festival, the conductor selected the guest violinist and he to perform the challenging duet.

Which of the following is the best revision of the underlined portion of the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: him

Answer

The correct revision replaces the subjective pronoun 'he' with the objective pronoun 'him' to serve as the object of the verb 'selected'.
The correct answer uses the objective pronoun 'him'. Because the pronoun is part of a compound construction receiving the action of the verb 'selected', it serves as a direct object and must be in the objective case.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the grammatical function of the underlined pronoun.
The pronoun is part of the compound phrase 'the guest violinist and [he]', which acts as the direct object receiving the action of the verb 'selected'.
Identifying the role helps determine whether a subjective, objective, or possessive pronoun is needed.
2
Choose the correct pronoun case.
Direct objects require pronouns in the objective case (such as 'him', 'her', or 'them').
Subjective case pronouns (like 'he') cannot function as direct objects.
3
Select the correct option matching the objective case.
The objective singular pronoun 'him' is the correct fit.
This maintains both the correct singular number and the objective case required for the compound object.

Key Concept

Pronoun Case in Compound Objects
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