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Question

Difficulty: MediumPronouns and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

The editorial board, along with the senior investigative reporters, published _____ comprehensive report on the municipal financial crisis. Which of the following pronouns correctly completes the sentence in standard formal English?

  1. itsAnswer
  2. B
    their
  3. C
    his
  4. D
    they're

Answer

its
The head noun of the subject clause is the singular collective noun 'editorial board'. Intervening phrases introduced by 'along with' do not make a singular subject plural. Therefore, the singular possessive pronoun 'its' is required for correct pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the true grammatical antecedent of the pronoun slot.
The subject head noun is 'The editorial board', which is a singular collective noun.
Phrases introduced by quasi-conjunctions like 'along with', 'as well as', or 'together with' are parenthetical and do not alter the grammatical number of the main subject.
2
Determine the required number and gender for the pronoun.
A third-person singular neuter possessive pronoun ('its') is required.
The entity is acting as a single unified organization.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Parenthetical Expressions
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Topics

Pronouns and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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