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Question

Difficulty: EasyPronouns and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

Which pronoun correctly completes the blank in the sentence below to ensure grammatical pronoun-antecedent agreement?

"Each of the female athletes was awarded _____ medal during the closing ceremony."

  1. herAnswer
  2. B
    their
  3. C
    them
  4. D
    its

Answer

The correct option is 'her' because the singular indefinite pronoun 'Each' requires a singular possessive pronoun, and the context specifies female individuals.
The word 'her' is correct because 'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun that requires a singular possessive determiner. The prepositional phrase 'of the female athletes' clarifies gender, making 'her' the appropriate choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent in the subject phrase.
The subject head noun is 'Each', which is a singular indefinite pronoun.
The prepositional phrase 'of the female athletes' modifies 'Each' but does not alter its singular grammatical status.
2
Determine the gender and case required for the missing pronoun.
The possessive determiner case is needed before 'medal', and female gender is specified.
A possessive pronoun must modify the noun 'medal' and reflect the female gender specified in the phrase.
3
Select the pronoun that satisfies both singular agreement and correct gender.
The pronoun 'her' satisfies both singular agreement and female gender alignment.
Singular indefinite pronouns like 'each' must take singular pronouns in standard formal English.

Key Concept

Indefinite Pronoun Concord
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Pronouns and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement

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