Which form of the noun 'archaeologist' grammatically completes the passage?

Answer:During a 2021 excavation in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, a team of archaeologists uncovered a series of previously undocumented tomb shafts. Because the humidity inside the chambers could damage the fragile wall paintings, the 【archaeologists'】 primary objective was to stabilize the microclimate before proceeding with any excavation.

Answer

archaeologists'

The correct answer is 'archaeologists''. The context establishes that there are multiple archaeologists ('a team of archaeologists') and that the objective belongs to them ('primary objective'). To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in 's', an apostrophe is added to the end of the word, resulting in 'archaeologists''.

Step-by-Step Solution

Determine the number (singular or plural) of the noun based on context clues.

The noun refers back to 'a team of archaeologists,' which indicates multiple individuals. Therefore, the plural form is required.

The phrase 'a team of archaeologists' establishes a plural subject.

Determine the case (possessive or non-possessive) of the noun based on its grammatical role.

The noun modifies the noun phrase 'primary objective,' indicating ownership or association. Therefore, the possessive case is required.

A noun that shows ownership over another noun must be in the possessive form.

Apply standard spelling and punctuation rules for plural possessive nouns.

For a regular plural noun ending in 's' (archaeologists), the possessive is formed by adding an apostrophe after the final 's', yielding 'archaeologists''.

Plural possessive nouns ending in 's' receive only an apostrophe at the end, without an additional 's'.

Key Concept

Plural and possessive nouns require correct placement of the apostrophe depending on the number of the noun and its relationship to other words in the sentence.

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