Examkin

Question

Difficulty: EasyPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Constructed during the Great Depression and completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in California remains an iconic engineering marvel. Spanning the turbulent strait that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean, this massive suspension bridge, along with the millions of vehicles crossing it each year, requires constant painting and maintenance to prevent salty ocean air from corroding ______ steel structure.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. itsAnswer
  2. B
    their
  3. C
    it's
  4. D
    they

Answer

The correct pronoun is 'its' because it correctly agrees in number with the singular antecedent 'bridge' and shows possession.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' is correct because the antecedent it refers to—'this massive suspension bridge'—is singular and neuter. The pronoun must show possession over the 'steel structure,' and 'its' is the correct spelling for a singular possessive pronoun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the pronoun to be placed in the blank.
The pronoun refers to the 'bridge' (specifically, 'this massive suspension bridge').
A pronoun must agree in number and gender with the noun it replaces or refers to.
2
Determine the number of the antecedent and filter out incorrect pronoun options.
The noun 'bridge' is singular, so a singular pronoun is required. This eliminates plural options like 'their' and 'they'.
Using a plural pronoun for a singular antecedent violates pronoun-antecedent agreement rules.
3
Identify the correct grammatical case and spelling for the singular pronoun.
The blank requires a possessive pronoun ('its steel structure'). The contraction 'it's' means 'it is' and does not show possession, so 'its' is the correct choice.
Distinguishing between the possessive pronoun 'its' and the contraction 'it's' prevents punctuation and meaning errors.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case
Rate this question

Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

More questions from this topic