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Grammatical Structure

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Question 661Question →

Which adverb of degree correctly completes the blank space in the sentence below?

Fill in the blanks below

The principal commended the senior tutor, whose innovative teaching methods were admired by both students and parents.
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Answer

The correct modifier to complete the sentence is 'much' (or 'very much').
The word 'much' (or 'very much') correctly modifies the past participle 'admired' when it retains verbal or passive character. In formal English, degree modification for such participles requires 'much' rather than 'very'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the word being modified and its grammatical form.
The word 'admired' is a past participle functioning as a verbal adjective in a passive context.
Determining whether a participle acts as a pure adjective or retains verbal force dictates which degree adverb is grammatically appropriate.
2
Apply the rule governing degree adverbs modifying past participles.
'Very' modifies pure adjectives and present participles, whereas 'much' (or 'very much') modifies past participles with verbal force.
In standard English, verbal past participles such as 'admired', 'appreciated', or 'criticized' take 'much' rather than 'very' alone.

Key Concept

Degree Adverbs Modifying Participles
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 662Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct subordinating conjunction in the blank.

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The regulatory agency will not issue an operational license to the factory all safety audit requirements are fully satisfied.
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Answer

unless
The sentence requires a subordinating conjunction of condition to indicate that the license will be granted only if the audit requirements are met. The conjunction 'unless' means 'except if' or 'if... not', which correctly connects the negative main clause with the conditional clause.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the logical relationship between the main clause and the dependent clause.
The main clause ('The regulatory agency will not issue an operational license...') specifies a negative outcome that will continue until a necessary condition in the dependent clause ('...all safety audit requirements are fully satisfied') is fulfilled.
Identifying whether the relationship is one of time, contrast, cause, or condition dictates the choice of connective.
2
Select the subordinating conjunction of condition meaning 'if... not' or 'except on condition that'.
The conjunction 'unless' accurately expresses that failure to satisfy safety audits prevents license issuance.
'Unless' properly introduces a finite conditional clause expressing an essential prerequisite.

Key Concept

Subordinating Conjunctions of Condition (Unless)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 663Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct form of the auxiliary verb 'have' to satisfy the rule of subject-verb agreement.

Fill in the blanks below

A large shipment of organic fruits arrived at the central market today.
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Answer

has
The subject of the sentence is the singular head noun 'shipment'. The phrase 'of organic fruits' is a prepositional modifier and does not alter the singular nature of the subject. Therefore, the singular present-tense auxiliary verb 'has' is required.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the head noun of the complete subject phrase.
The noun phrase is 'A large shipment of organic fruits', where 'shipment' is the singular head noun.
The prepositional phrase 'of organic fruits' modifies the head noun but does not determine the grammatical number of the subject.
2
Match the head noun with the correct singular verb form.
The singular noun 'shipment' requires the singular auxiliary verb 'has'.
In English concord, a singular subject must take a singular verb regardless of any intervening plural nouns.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Intervening Prepositional Phrases
Estimated Time:45s
Question 664Question →

During the press conference, the lead archivist spoke about the medieval manuscript as though he ________ its original scribe. Which option correctly completes the sentence?

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Answer: were

Answer

The correct option is 'were'.
The conjunction 'as though' introduces a hypothetical state that is contrary to fact. In formal English, unreal or hypothetical statements require the past subjunctive verb form 'were' even when the subject is third-person singular ('he').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic structure of the sentence.
Identified the conjunction phrase 'as though' following a main clause in the past tense ('spoke').
The phrase 'as though' (like 'as if') introduces a comparative clause expressing a hypothetical or unreal scenario.
2
Determine the required grammatical mood and tense.
Selected the past subjunctive form 'were'.
When expressing a condition contrary to fact (since the archivist was not actually the medieval scribe), the past subjunctive 'were' must be used regardless of the singular subject ('he').

Key Concept

Subjunctive Mood in Unreal/Hypothetical Statements ('as if' / 'as though')
Question 665Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the pronoun that correctly agrees with its antecedent in standard formal English.

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Each of the navy vessels returned to home port after completing the month-long patrol.
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Answer

The correct pronoun to fill the blank is 'its'.
The subject of the sentence is the singular indefinite pronoun 'Each'. In standard formal English, prepositional modifiers such as 'of the navy vessels' do not change the number of the subject. Because 'Each' refers to inanimate objects (vessels), the singular neuter possessive pronoun 'its' is required to establish proper pronoun-antecedent agreement.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical head word of the subject phrase.
The head word is the indefinite pronoun 'Each', which is grammatically singular.
The prepositional phrase 'of the navy vessels' acts as a modifier and does not alter the singular grammatical number of the subject 'Each'.
2
Determine the gender and nature of the antecedent to select the matching possessive pronoun.
The antecedent refers to inanimate entities ('vessels'), requiring a singular neuter possessive pronoun ('its').
Standard formal English mandates that a singular antecedent representing a non-human entity must be paired with the singular neuter possessive pronoun 'its'.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Singular Indefinite Pronouns
Question 666Question →

Complete the sentence below by entering the grammatically correct verb phrase in the blank provided.

Fill in the blanks below

If the flight controller the distorted radio signal earlier, the emergency landing would have been executed without delay.
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Answer

had detected (or synonymous past perfect verb phrase: had noticed, had identified, had observed)
The sentence follows a third conditional construction, which describes a past hypothetical situation and its unfulfilled result. The main clause uses 'would have + past participle' ('would have been executed'), which requires the dependent conditional clause to take the past perfect tense ('had' + past participle). Therefore, 'had detected' (or an equivalent past perfect construction such as 'had noticed') is the grammatically correct completion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main clause of the sentence to identify the conditional pattern.
The main clause contains 'would have been executed', establishing a third conditional (past unfulfilled/hypothetical condition) structure.
The third conditional structure is required when describing an imaginary or unfulfilled event in the past.
2
Select the appropriate tense and aspect required for the conditional clause.
The if-clause requires the past perfect tense ('had' + past participle).
In standard English grammar, a past hypothetical condition in the if-clause mandates the past perfect auxiliary 'had' followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Key Concept

Third Conditional Tense and Aspect (Past Unreal Condition)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 667Question →

Read the direct speech statement below and complete its reported speech version by filling in the missing expressions in the blanks.

Fill in the blanks below

Direct Speech: "We will launch the communications satellite next week if the weather conditions remain favorable," the mission director announced.

Reported Speech: The mission director announced that they launch the communications satellite if the weather conditions favorable.
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Answer

blank_1: would; blank_2: the following week (or the next week / the subsequent week); blank_3: remained
In indirect speech introduced by a past-tense reporting verb ('announced'), the auxiliary 'will' backshifts to 'would', the time expression 'next week' changes to 'the following week' (or 'the next week' / 'the subsequent week'), and the simple present verb 'remain' backshifts to simple past 'remained'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the required modal verb backshift for 'will'.
'will' changes to 'would' in indirect speech.
When reporting speech with a past-tense introductory verb ('announced'), the modal auxiliary 'will' shifts back to its past form 'would'.
2
Convert the temporal expression 'next week'.
'next week' shifts to 'the following week', 'the next week', or 'the subsequent week'.
Time reference adverbs pointing to future periods must shift to reflect the reporting perspective.
3
Apply tense backshift to the conditional clause verb 'remain'.
'remain' changes from simple present to simple past 'remained'.
Verbs in the present simple tense backshift to the past simple tense when reported after a past tense reporting verb.

Key Concept

Direct to Indirect Speech Rules: Modal Backshift, Temporal Adverbial Shifts, and Present-to-Past Tense Changes
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 668Question →

Read the active sentence provided below and complete its corresponding passive transformation by filling in the blank with the exact grammatical verb phrase required.

Fill in the blanks below

Active sentence: 'The ad hoc committee ought to have followed up on the auditor's queries before submitting the final report.'

Passive sentence: 'The auditor's queries by the ad hoc committee before submitting the final report.'
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Answer

ought to have been followed up on
The active sentence uses the semi-modal perfect verb construction 'ought to have' combined with the phrasal-prepositional verb 'follow up on'. Converting this structure into passive voice requires maintaining the modal auxiliary 'ought to have', introducing the passive auxiliary 'been', placing the past participle 'followed', and strictly retaining all associated prepositional particles ('up on'). This yields the exact verb phrase 'ought to have been followed up on'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the active verb structure.
The active sentence contains the semi-modal perfect verb phrase 'ought to have' followed by the three-word phrasal-prepositional verb 'followed up on'.
Identifying both the exact modal perfect aspect and all attached verb particles is required to form an equivalent passive phrase.
2
Apply the modal perfect passive transformation rule.
The modal active pattern 'ought to have + past participle' converts to 'ought to have + been + past participle' ('ought to have been followed').
Passive voice in modal perfect constructions requires inserting the auxiliary past participle 'been' between 'have' and the main past participle.
3
Re-attach all phrasal particles to maintain prepositional integrity.
Combining the passive modal form with the particles yields 'ought to have been followed up on'.
Phrasal verbs must retain their particle components ('up on') in passive voice to prevent semantic breakdown or grammatical error.

Key Concept

Passive transformation of semi-modal perfect verbs with phrasal-prepositional structures
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 669Question →

Consider the sentence below:

'Neither the principal investigator nor the field research assistants _____ ready to present the findings at yesterday's conference.'

Which verb form correctly completes the sentence according to the rules of subject-verb agreement?

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Answer: were

Answer

The correct verb form is 'were'.
The correct verb form is 'were' because when subjects are joined by 'neither... nor', the principle of proximity dictates that the verb agrees with the noun nearest to it. The nearest noun 'field research assistants' is plural, and the time marker 'yesterday' requires the past tense, making 'were' the accurate choice.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the correlative conjunction structure in the sentence.
The subjects 'principal investigator' (singular) and 'field research assistants' (plural) are joined by 'Neither... nor'.
Correlative conjunctions like 'neither... nor' trigger the proximity rule of concord.
2
Determine which subject determines the verb form.
The subject closer to the verb blank is 'field research assistants', which is plural.
Under proximity concord, the verb agrees with the noun phrase nearest to it.
3
Select the appropriate verb tense and number.
The past time indicator 'yesterday' combined with a plural subject requires the plural past tense verb 'were'.
Matching both grammatical number (plural) and tense context ensures full grammatical correctness.

Key Concept

Proximity Concord with Correlative Conjunctions
Estimated Time:45s
Question 670Question →

Read the direct speech sentence below:

"The chief auditor asked the manager, 'Have you submitted the quarterly compliance reports to the board today?'"

Which of the following options correctly renders this statement in indirect speech?

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Answer: The chief auditor asked the manager whether he had submitted the quarterly compliance reports to the board that day.

Answer

The chief auditor asked the manager whether he had submitted the quarterly compliance reports to the board that day.
When converting a direct Yes/No question into reported speech with a past tense reporting verb ('asked'), the direct clause becomes a declarative statement introduced by 'whether' or 'if'. The auxiliary and verb shift from present perfect ('have submitted') to past perfect ('had submitted'), and the time expression 'today' shifts to 'that day'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the reporting verb and speech type
The reporting verb 'asked' is in the past tense, and the direct speech is a Yes/No question.
Past reporting verbs require tense backshift and adverbial adjustments in indirect speech.
2
Select the correct introductory conjunction and sentence order
Introduce the reported clause with 'whether' or 'if' and convert the question structure ('Have you submitted') into a declarative statement structure ('he had submitted').
Reported questions must use normal statement word order without auxiliary inversion.
3
Apply tense backshift and adverbial transformations
'have submitted' (present perfect) shifts to 'had submitted' (past perfect), and 'today' shifts to 'that day'.
Direct speech shifted relative to a past point in time requires backshifting past-oriented tenses and proximal time expressions.

Key Concept

Direct to Indirect Speech Transformation Rules for Questions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 671Question →

Which verb forms correctly complete the blanks in the sentence below to satisfy the rules of subject-verb agreement?

Fill in the blanks below

More than one scholar argued that poverty, alongside poor infrastructure, the primary obstacle to rural development.
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Answer

The first blank requires 'has' and the second blank requires 'is'.
The correct verb forms are 'has' and 'is'. Grammatical rule specifies that 'more than one' followed by a singular noun ('scholar') requires a singular verb ('has'). Furthermore, parenthetical expressions introduced by 'alongside' do not alter the number of the main subject ('poverty'), requiring the singular verb ('is').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the subject-verb agreement rule for the first blank containing 'More than one scholar'.
The phrase 'More than one scholar' requires the singular auxiliary verb 'has'.
Although 'more than one' conveys a plural concept, grammatical concord dictates that 'more than one' followed by a singular countable noun takes a singular verb.
2
Analyze the subject-verb agreement rule for the second blank containing 'poverty, alongside poor infrastructure'.
The subject of this clause is the uncountable noun 'poverty', requiring the singular verb 'is'.
Quasi-conjunctions and parenthetical prepositions like 'alongside', 'as well as', or 'together with' do not join subjects compoundly like 'and'. The head subject remains 'poverty', which is singular.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) with 'More than one' and Quasi-Conjunctions
Question 672Question →

During an environmental assessment of the coastal reserve, researchers tracked animal migration patterns. Which sentence uses modifiers correctly and unambiguously to report their findings?

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Answer: Observing the reserve from a stationary watchtower, the researchers clearly identified several rare bird species migrating south.

Answer

Observing the reserve from a stationary watchtower, the researchers clearly identified several rare bird species migrating south.
The correct sentence places the introductory participial clause adjacent to the logical agent ('the researchers'), correctly uses the adjective 'stationary' to describe an immobile watchtower, and modifies the verb 'identified' with the natural adverb 'clearly'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the introductory participial modifier for proper subject attachment.
Confirm that 'Observing the reserve...' immediately precedes and modifies the true subject 'the researchers'.
A participial modifier at the start of a sentence must directly modify the noun that immediately follows the comma to avoid a dangling modifier.
2
Verify the correct spelling and meaning of the adjective describing the watchtower.
Select 'stationary' (meaning immobile or fixed in place) instead of 'stationery'.
'Stationery' with an 'e' refers to paper and writing materials, whereas 'stationary' with an 'a' is the appropriate adjective for fixed structures.
3
Evaluate the choice of adverb modifying the main verb.
Ensure 'clearly' is used to form a standard, idiomatic modifier pairing with 'identified'.
Adverbs must collocate naturally with the verbs they modify in formal academic English.

Key Concept

Modifiers, Participial Placement, Homophone Adjectives, and Adverbial Collocations
Question 673Question →

Consider the following sentence from an official report: "During the annual summit, neither the chief executive officer nor the regional branch managers succeeded in presenting _______ strategy for the upcoming fiscal quarter within the allotted time." Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence to maintain proper pronoun-antecedent agreement in standard formal English?

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Answer: their

Answer

The correct pronoun is 'their', which agrees in number with the nearer plural antecedent 'the regional branch managers'.
In standard formal English grammar, when two subjects are connected by 'neither... nor', any following pronoun must agree in person and number with the closer antecedent. In this sentence, the antecedent closest to the blank is 'the regional branch managers' (plural). Therefore, the plural possessive pronoun 'their' is required.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the antecedent structure of the sentence.
The compound antecedent consists of a singular subject ('the chief executive officer') and a plural subject ('the regional branch managers') joined by the correlative conjunction 'neither... nor'.
Identifying the conjunction and subject numbers is necessary to determine the applicable agreement rule.
2
Apply the rule of proximity for pronoun-antecedent agreement.
When antecedents are joined by 'neither... nor', the pronoun must agree with the antecedent closest to it in position.
The noun phrase immediately preceding the pronoun gap is 'the regional branch managers', which is plural.
3
Select the pronoun matching the nearer antecedent.
The possessive pronoun 'their' correctly matches the plural antecedent.
Plural antecedents require plural pronouns in standard formal English.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Correlative Conjunctions
Question 674Question →

Complete the text below by supplying the correct present-tense form of the verb 'to be' ('is' or 'are') for each blank to satisfy the rules of subject-verb concord.

Fill in the blanks below

A large percentage of the harvested grain damaged by pests, whereas a number of storage facilities currently undergoing renovation.
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Answer

The first blank requires 'is' and the second blank requires 'are'.
The first blank requires the singular verb 'is' because in fraction and percentage concord, the verb agrees with the noun following the preposition 'of'. Since 'grain' is an uncountable noun, it takes a singular verb. The second blank requires the plural verb 'are' because the phrase 'a number of' denotes a plural quantity ('several') and must be followed by a plural noun and a plural verb.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the correct concord rule for the first blank.
The subject phrase 'A large percentage of the harvested grain' contains the quantifier 'percentage of' followed by an uncountable mass noun ('grain').
When percentages or fractions modify an uncountable noun, the verb agrees with the uncountable noun and must be singular ('is').
2
Determine the correct concord rule for the second blank.
The subject phrase 'a number of storage facilities' uses the expression 'a number of'.
The expression 'a number of' acts as a plural determiner meaning 'several' and requires a plural verb ('are'), whereas 'the number of' would take a singular verb.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement (Concord) with Percentages and Quantity Expressions
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 675Question →

Read the sentence below and identify the verb form that correctly completes it:

By the time the maritime safety board published its final investigation report on the harbor incident, the salvage crew ________ the submerged wreckage.

Which of the following verb forms correctly completes the sentence?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: had already cleared

Answer

The correct form is 'had already cleared', as it correctly employs the past perfect tense to signal an action completed prior to another past event.
The expression 'By the time' followed by a simple past verb ('published') requires the past perfect tense ('had already cleared') to denote an action completed prior to that past point in time.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the temporal frame of the main clause and subordinate clause
The main action 'published' is in the simple past tense, establishing a past point of reference.
Determining the time frame is essential for choosing the correct sequence of tenses.
2
Determine the relative timing of the action in the blank
The phrase 'By the time' indicates that clearing the wreckage occurred before the report was published.
An action completed prior to a specific point in the past requires the past perfect tense (had + past participle).
3
Select the verb construction that expresses past perfect aspect
'had already cleared' satisfies both the auxiliary requirement ('had') and aspectual completion.
This maintains correct sequence of tenses without unnatural collocations or particle mismatches.

Key Concept

Past Perfect Tense in Time Clauses
Estimated Time:50s
Question 676Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the most grammatically appropriate modifier for the blank space.

Fill in the blanks below

The governing council resolved that no financial inquiries would be conducted until the independent auditor submitted the comprehensive report.
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Answer

further
The word 'further' is the correct modifier here because it functions as an adjective meaning 'additional' or 'more extended' when referring to non-physical, abstract concepts such as inquiries or investigations.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic function and semantic context of the blank space.
The blank modifies the noun phrase 'financial inquiries' and indicates additional or extended scope/time rather than physical spatial distance.
Determining whether physical distance or figurative degree/addition is being expressed governs the choice between 'farther' and 'further'.
2
Distinguish between 'farther' and 'further'.
'Farther' refers strictly to physical, measurable distance, whereas 'further' denotes additional extent, degree, or time.
An investigation or financial inquiry represents a process or degree of action, requiring 'further'.

Key Concept

Distinction between physical distance modifiers (farther) and degree/extent modifiers (further)
Estimated Time:1m 0s
Question 677Question →

Complete the sentence below by supplying the correct form of the auxiliary verb in the blank to satisfy the rule of subject-verb agreement.

Fill in the blanks below

The committee of local experts submitted its final recommendations to the board.
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Answer

has
The correct answer is 'has' because the subject of the sentence is the singular collective noun 'committee', which acts as a single body. The intervening prepositional phrase 'of local experts' does not alter the singular agreement requirement of the main subject.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical subject head noun in the sentence.
The subject phrase is 'The committee of local experts', where the core head noun is 'committee'.
The plural noun 'experts' is part of an intervening prepositional phrase ('of local experts') and does not function as the head of the subject.
2
Determine the number of the collective noun based on context.
The noun 'committee' refers to a single collective entity acting in unison (indicated by the singular pronoun 'its').
In formal English concord, a collective noun acting as a unified whole takes a singular verb.
3
Select the correct singular auxiliary verb form.
The singular auxiliary verb 'has' correctly matches the singular head noun 'committee'.
Subject-verb agreement requires singular subjects to take singular verbs in present perfect constructions.

Key Concept

Subject-Verb Agreement with Collective Nouns and Intervening Phrases
Estimated Time:45s
Question 678Question →

Fill in the blank with the appropriate subordinating conjunction that correctly completes the concessive clause in the sentence below.

Fill in the blanks below

Difficult the final examination appeared to the graduating students, every candidate in the honors class managed to pass with distinction.
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Answer

as
The word 'as' (or 'though') correctly completes the inverted concessive clause structure. In formal English syntax, placing an adjective at the beginning of a clause followed by 'as' or 'though' creates a concessive relationship meaning 'although it was difficult'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the syntactic structure of the sentence opening.
The sentence begins with a fronted predicate adjective ('Difficult') preceding the blank and the subject-verb clause ('the final examination appeared').
When a complement or adjective is fronted to express contrast or concession, specific subordinating conjunctions are required.
2
Identify the required conjunction for fronted adjective concession.
The conjunctions 'as' or 'though' follow a fronted adjective to form a concessive clause equivalent in meaning to 'Although the final examination appeared difficult...'.
Standard English grammar uses the pattern 'Adjective + as / though + Subject + Verb' to indicate concession.

Key Concept

Concessive clause inversion using 'Adjective + as / though + Subject + Verb'
Question 679Question →

Consider the following passive construction: 'Had the confidential file not been handed over to the external auditors by the chief accountant before the sudden inspection?' Which of the following options correctly transforms this sentence into the active voice?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: Had the chief accountant not handed over the confidential file to the external auditors before the sudden inspection?

Answer

The active transformation that correctly preserves the tense, aspect, and full phrasal verb structure is: 'Had the chief accountant not handed over the confidential file to the external auditors before the sudden inspection?'
The correct response accurately moves the agent into the subject position, maintains the past perfect interrogative auxiliary structure, and retains the essential particle of the phrasal verb.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical subject, main verb phrase, object, and tense of the passive sentence.
The passive sentence is in the past perfect interrogative form ('Had... been handed over') with the agent 'the chief accountant' and object 'the confidential file'.
Converting from passive to active requires making the agent of the passive prepositional phrase ('by the chief accountant') the active subject.
2
Transform the verb phrase from passive past perfect interrogative to active past perfect interrogative while preserving phrasal verb particles.
'Had... been handed over' becomes 'Had [subject] not handed over'.
The auxiliary 'been' is removed to form the active past perfect, while the particle 'over' must be retained.
3
Reconstruct the complete clause and verify subject-verb agreement and particle integrity.
'Had the chief accountant not handed over the confidential file to the external auditors before the sudden inspection?'
This maintains the precise semantic meaning, aspect, and syntactic structure of the original passive statement.

Key Concept

Active and Passive Voice Transformation of Interrogative Phrasal Verbs in the Past Perfect Tense
Question 680Question →

Which pronoun correctly completes the sentence below to maintain proper grammatical agreement in standard formal English?

Fill in the blanks below

The jury reached a unanimous verdict after deliberating for three hours, declaring that final decision would be delivered to the presiding judge immediately.
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The correct pronoun to complete the blank is 'its'.
The antecedent is the collective noun 'jury'. Because the sentence specifies that the verdict was unanimous, the jury functioned as a single, unified entity, requiring the singular neuter possessive pronoun 'its'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent for the missing pronoun.
The antecedent is the collective noun phrase 'The jury'.
The missing pronoun refers back to the entity making and delivering the decision.
2
Determine whether the collective noun operates as a single entity or as separate individuals.
The context of reaching a 'unanimous verdict' shows that the jury is acting as a single, unified unit.
Collective nouns take singular verbs and singular pronouns when the group acts as one body.
3
Select the appropriate singular possessive pronoun.
The neuter singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly agrees with the singular collective antecedent.
Using a plural pronoun or contraction would violate standard formal agreement rules.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement with Collective Nouns
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