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Question

Difficulty: MediumPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Although the local association of independent organic farmers received numerous complaints from consumers about the delayed distribution of agricultural goods during the winter harvest, the organization refused to alter _______ established policy of direct-to-consumer sales. The board of directors argued that maintaining this business model was essential for preserving the financial independence of the small-scale farms involved.

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

  1. A
    their
  2. itsAnswer
  3. C
    it's
  4. D
    its'

Answer

The singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly agrees in number with the singular antecedent 'organization'.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly refers to the singular collective noun antecedent 'organization'. Since the noun is singular and acts as a possessive modifier for 'established policy', the singular possessive form without an apostrophe is correct.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the pronoun's antecedent in the sentence.
The antecedent is the singular noun 'organization' (which refers back to the 'association').
A pronoun must agree in number with the noun it replaces or refers to.
2
Determine the grammatical role and case of the required pronoun.
The blank precedes the noun phrase 'established policy', indicating a need for a possessive pronoun.
A possessive pronoun is required to show ownership of the policy.
3
Select the grammatically correct singular possessive pronoun.
The word 'its' is the correct singular possessive pronoun.
It agrees in number with 'organization' and is spelled correctly without an apostrophe.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

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