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Difficulty: HardPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Although neither of the newly discovered deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Mariana Trench has been fully mapped by marine geologists, ______ unique chemical composition has already provided researchers with invaluable insights into the ecological limits of microbial life on Earth. These findings could help astrobiologists understand potential habitability on icy moons.

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

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

Answer

its
The correct pronoun is 'its' because it is a singular possessive pronoun that agrees in number with the singular indefinite pronoun 'neither', which acts as the antecedent. The plural noun 'vents' is part of an intervening prepositional phrase and does not determine the number of the pronoun.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the pronoun to be placed in the blank.
The antecedent is the singular indefinite pronoun 'neither'.
The pronoun must agree in number with its true grammatical antecedent.
2
Identify and eliminate intervening words or phrases.
The plural prepositional phrase 'of the newly discovered deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Mariana Trench' is an intervening element that does not affect the number of the antecedent.
This prevents the common error of matching the pronoun to a nearby plural noun instead of the subject.
3
Select the grammatically correct pronoun.
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' matches the singular antecedent 'neither' and correctly functions as a determiner for 'unique chemical composition'.
This satisfies both pronoun-antecedent agreement and case requirements.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

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