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Question

Difficulty: MediumPronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

Although the newly formed committee of environmental advocates has proposed several ambitious initiatives to reduce urban carbon emissions, _______ must still secure the substantial funding required for implementation. The group's primary goal is to install energy-efficient solar panels on municipal buildings throughout the city, but without additional financial backing from local businesses, these plans cannot move forward.

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

  1. A
    they
  2. itAnswer
  3. C
    them
  4. D
    these

Answer

The correct pronoun is 'it' because it agrees in number with the singular collective noun 'committee.'
The pronoun 'it' is correct because the antecedent is the singular collective noun 'committee.' Since the committee acts as a single unit in proposing and securing funding, it requires a singular pronoun. Additionally, because the pronoun functions as the subject of the verb phrase 'must still secure,' the subject pronoun 'it' is the correct case.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the antecedent of the pronoun to be placed in the blank.
The antecedent is the collective noun 'committee.'
Determining the correct antecedent is necessary to establish pronoun-antecedent agreement.
2
Determine the grammatical number (singular or plural) of the antecedent.
The noun 'committee' is a singular collective noun that functions as a single unit here, as confirmed by the singular verb 'has proposed' in the preceding clause.
The pronoun must agree in number with the antecedent, ignoring the intervening plural noun 'advocates' in the prepositional phrase 'of environmental advocates.'
3
Identify the grammatical case required by the pronoun's function in the clause.
The pronoun functions as the subject of the verb phrase 'must still secure,' meaning a subject-case pronoun is required.
Choosing the correct pronoun requires matching both number and case constraints.
4
Select the option that is singular and in the subject case.
The pronoun 'it' meets these criteria.
The pronoun 'it' is singular and fits the subject position of the clause.

Key Concept

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement in Number
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Case

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