Complete the sentence below by providing the grammatically correct possessive pronoun in each blank to ensure proper pronoun-antecedent agreement.
Answer:Although the committee was unanimous in 【its】 evaluation of the proposal, the jury were divided in 【their】 opinions regarding the defendant's guilt.
Answer
The first blank requires the singular possessive pronoun 'its' to agree with the collective noun 'committee' acting as a unified entity. The second blank requires the plural possessive pronoun 'their' to agree with the collective noun 'jury' acting as separate individuals.
In formal English grammar, collective nouns require singular pronouns when the group acts as a single, unified body, and plural pronouns when the individuals within the group act separately. In the first clause, the singular verb 'was' and 'unanimous' establish that the 'committee' acted as one unit, necessitating the singular possessive pronoun 'its'. In the second clause, the plural verb 'were' and the word 'divided' show that the members of the 'jury' acted as separate individuals, necessitating the plural possessive pronoun 'their'.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Collective Nouns
Estimated Time:1m 30s