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Difficulty: MediumPlural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

The following passage is adapted from a study on cooperative breeding in birds. Which form of the noun 'helper' correctly completes the blank in the sentence to ensure it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Answer:In many avian species, cooperative breeding relies on helper birds who assist a breeding pair in raising offspring rather than establishing their own nests. These 【helpers'】 contributions—which typically include foraging for food, defending the territory from predators, and maintaining the nest structure—significantly increase the overall survival rate of the hatchlings while reducing the workload of the biological parents.

Answer

helpers'
The correct answer is the plural possessive form 'helpers''. The context indicates that the contributions belong to multiple 'helper' birds mentioned in the preceding sentence, as signaled by the plural demonstrative adjective 'These'. To form the possessive of a plural noun ending in -s, an apostrophe is placed after the final -s.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Determine the number (singular or plural) of the noun required by the context.
The noun must be plural because it is preceded by the plural demonstrative adjective 'These'. Therefore, the base noun is 'helpers'.
The modifier 'These' must agree in number with the noun it modifies.
2
Determine the case (possessive or non-possessive) of the noun required by the syntax.
The noun must be possessive to modify the noun 'contributions', showing that the contributions belong to the helpers. For a plural noun ending in 's', the possessive is formed by adding an apostrophe after the 's'.
A noun modifying another noun to show ownership or association must be in the possessive case.

Key Concept

Plural and Possessive Nouns
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Plural and Possessive Nouns and Pronouns

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