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Question

Difficulty: EasyPlural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

In 2021, paleontologist Yara Haridy examined the fossilized bone of a Triassic reptile and identified a case of tuberculosis. The ________ findings suggest that this infectious disease has existed in vertebrates for over 240 million years. Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    paleontologists
  2. B
    paleontologist
  3. paleontologist'sAnswer
  4. D
    paleontologists'

Answer

paleontologist's
The correct answer is the singular possessive form 'paleontologist's'. The passage establishes that Yara Haridy is a single paleontologist who conducted the examination. The noun in the blank modifies 'findings', showing that the findings belong to her. Thus, the singular possessive form is grammatically correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine if the noun should be singular or plural.
The text refers to a single individual, Yara Haridy, who is identified as a paleontologist. Therefore, we need a singular form.
Identifying the number of the noun prevents errors related to plurality.
2
Determine if the noun needs to be possessive.
The noun modifies 'findings' and indicates who owns or produced those findings. Therefore, a possessive form is required.
Determining case ensures correct punctuation and grammatical relationship.
3
Combine singular and possessive rules to select the correct punctuation.
A singular possessive noun is formed by adding an apostrophe followed by an 's' ('paleontologist's').
This matches the singular possessive form required by the context.

Key Concept

Plural and Possessive Nouns
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Topics

Plural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

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