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Difficulty: HardPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Although the compilation of anonymous sixteenth-century ballads contains several verses celebrating the deeds of folk heroes, each of the poems in the collection, when analyzed closely for stylistic consistency, reveals ______ reliance on a single, highly skilled author rather than a succession of oral storytellers.

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

  1. A
    their
  2. itsAnswer
  3. C
    they're
  4. D
    its'

Answer

The pronoun 'its'
The singular possessive pronoun 'its' correctly matches the grammatical number of its antecedent, the singular indefinite pronoun 'each'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical antecedent of the pronoun needed in the blank.
The antecedent is the singular indefinite pronoun 'each' (the head of the subject phrase 'each of the poems in the collection').
The pronoun must agree in number with its true antecedent rather than any intervening nouns in prepositional phrases.
2
Determine the case and function of the pronoun required in the sentence.
The blank modifies the noun 'reliance', indicating a possessive pronoun is required.
A possessive pronoun is needed to show whose reliance is being discussed.
3
Select the option that is singular, possessive, and grammatically correct.
The singular possessive pronoun is 'its'.
'its' matches the singular antecedent 'each' and functions correctly as a possessive modifier.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Alternative Method

Locate the main verb of the clause, 'reveals', which is singular. The subject must agree in number with the verb, confirming that the singular indefinite pronoun 'each' is the subject. Therefore, the pronoun that refers back to 'each' must also be singular.
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

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