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Difficulty: MediumPlural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

To ensure grammatical correctness and clarity in the passage, which form of the noun 'ant' must be used to complete the blank?

Answer:While studying the foraging behavior of leafcutter ants, entomologist Diana Wheeler observed that the insects coordinate their search for food using pheromone trails. By tracking the movements of a single ant, Wheeler mapped the 【ant's】 journey from the nest to a distant leaf source, demonstrating how individual decisions contribute to collective efficiency.

Answer

The correct form is the singular possessive noun 'ant's'.
The singular possessive form 'ant's' correctly shows that the journey belongs to the 'single ant' mentioned in the context.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the role of the blank in the sentence to determine if possession is required.
The blank modifies 'journey', a noun representing the path taken by the ant. This shows a relationship of ownership or association, requiring a possessive form.
Possessive nouns are used to indicate that a noun belongs to or is associated with another noun.
2
Determine the grammatical number (singular or plural) of the noun using context clues.
The preceding phrase 'a single ant' explicitly specifies that only one ant is being tracked.
The context dictates whether the possessive form should be singular or plural.
3
Form the singular possessive of the noun 'ant'.
Adding an apostrophe and an 's' to the singular noun 'ant' produces 'ant's'.
Standard English grammar rules require an apostrophe followed by 's' to form the possessive of a singular noun.

Key Concept

Plural and Possessive Nouns
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Plural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

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