PSAT Reading and Writing Quiz: Grammar
20 questions · exam conditions
0:00
GrammarQuestion 1 of 20

A historian is comparing two translations of an ancient poem, and she notes that both translators preserved the original's imagery. However, neither of the translations   the poem's meter exactly, because the rhythm depends on features of the original language.

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

reproduce
reproduces
are reproducing
have reproduced
← Back to quizzes

PSAT Reading and Writing Quiz

PSAT Reading and Writing Quiz: Grammar

Practice Grammar in PSAT Reading and Writing with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Grammar, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for PSAT Reading and Writing.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

A historian is comparing two translations of an ancient poem, and she notes that both translators preserved the original's imagery. However, neither of the translations   the poem's meter exactly, because the rhythm depends on features of the original language.

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

  1. reproduce
  2. reproduces (correct answer)
  3. are reproducing
  4. have reproduced
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement with indefinite pronouns. 'Neither' is treated as singular when meaning 'not one of two,' so it requires a singular verb 'reproduces' to agree, fitting the present tense for a general observation. Choice B correctly provides this singular form. Choice A uses plural 'reproduce,' which disagrees with the singular subject, Choice C's 'are reproducing' is plural and continuous without need, and Choice D's 'have reproduced' introduces perfect tense not suited to the timeless context. For indefinite pronouns like 'neither' or 'either,' remember they are usually singular and take singular verbs unless context clearly indicates otherwise.

Question 2

Due to the fact that the meeting was postponed until a later date, the team had additional time to finish the report.

Which choice most effectively avoids wordiness?

  1. Because the meeting was postponed, the team had additional time to finish the report. (correct answer)
  2. Owing to the circumstance that the meeting had been postponed until a later time, the team possessed extra time with which to finish the report.
  3. The meeting having been postponed until a later date led to the team having extra time to finish the report.
  4. Since the meeting was postponed until a later date, therefore the team had additional time to finish the report.
Explanation: When you encounter a question about avoiding wordiness, you're being tested on your ability to identify concise, clear writing that eliminates unnecessary words and phrases without changing the meaning. The most effective revision is choice A because it eliminates the wordy phrase "due to the fact that" and replaces it with the simple, direct word "because." It also removes the redundant phrase "until a later date" since "postponed" already implies delay to a future time. This creates a clean, straightforward sentence that maintains the original meaning while cutting excess words. Choice B makes the sentence even wordier by using unnecessarily formal phrases like "owing to the circumstance that" and "possessed extra time with which to." These additions create pompous, bureaucratic language that obscures rather than clarifies meaning. Choice C creates an awkward construction with "The meeting having been postponed...led to the team having extra time." This participial phrase structure is clunky and harder to follow than a simple cause-and-effect sentence. Choice D commits a grammatical error by using both "since" and "therefore" to show the cause-and-effect relationship. This creates redundancy—you need only one connector, not both. Additionally, it keeps the wordy "until a later date." Strategy tip: Look for common wordy phrases that can be simplified: "due to the fact that" becomes "because," "in order to" becomes "to," and "at this point in time" becomes "now." The most concise option that preserves meaning is usually correct.

Question 3

In a study of urban air quality, sensors were mounted on streetlights across several neighborhoods. The data from the sensors, in addition to the weather records,   that pollution levels rise during the morning commute.

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

  1. show (correct answer)
  2. shows
  3. showing
  4. has shown
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement with compound subjects joined by correlative expressions. The subject is "The data from the sensors, in addition to the weather records," but "in addition to" doesn't create a true compound—the main subject is "The data," which is plural, requiring the plural verb "show" (Choice A). Choice B "shows" is singular and doesn't agree with the plural "data." Choice C "showing" creates a fragment without a main verb. Choice D "has shown" uses singular "has" which doesn't match the plural subject. Remember that "data" is traditionally plural (though sometimes treated as singular in informal usage), and phrases like "in addition to" don't change the number of the main subject.

Question 4

The theater troupe traveled to three cities last summer: Chicago, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin;   and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Which choice completes the sentence with the correct punctuation?

  1. Des Moines, Iowa; (correct answer)
  2. Des Moines, Iowa
  3. Des Moines; Iowa
  4. Des Moines Iowa;
Explanation: When you encounter a series with complex items that already contain commas, you need to use semicolons as the primary separator to avoid confusion. This is called a "complex series" or "series with internal punctuation." In this sentence, you're dealing with a list of cities and their states. Since each item in the series contains a comma (Chicago, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin), you must use semicolons to separate the main items. The pattern is: "City, State; City, State; City, State." Choice A is correct because "Des Moines, Iowa;" follows the established pattern perfectly. It includes the comma between city and state, followed by a semicolon to separate it from the next item in the series. Even though "Des Moines, Iowa" is the last location before "and Minneapolis, Minnesota," it still needs the semicolon to maintain parallel structure throughout the series. Choice B fails because it uses only a comma, breaking the semicolon pattern established in the rest of the series. Choice C incorrectly places the semicolon between the city and state rather than between the city-state pairs. Choice D omits the essential comma between "Des Moines" and "Iowa" while keeping the semicolon in the wrong position. Study tip: When you see a series where individual items contain commas, automatically switch to semicolons as your main separators. Keep the internal punctuation (commas within items) and use semicolons between items consistently throughout the entire series, even before the final "and."

Question 5

Of the two proposals, Jordan's is clearly  .

Which choice completes the sentence with the correct comparative form?

  1. more innovative (correct answer)
  2. most innovative
  3. the most innovative one
  4. innovativest
Explanation: When comparing exactly two items, you need to use the comparative form of adjectives, not the superlative form. This distinction is crucial for standard English grammar. Choice A ("more innovative") is correct because it uses the proper comparative form when contrasting two proposals. For adjectives with three or more syllables like "innovative," you form the comparative by adding "more" before the adjective. Since the sentence explicitly states "of the two proposals," you're making a direct comparison between exactly two items. Choice B ("most innovative") is incorrect because "most" creates the superlative form, which you use when comparing three or more items. Using the superlative for just two items violates standard grammar rules. Choice C ("the most innovative one") has the same problem as B—it uses the superlative form inappropriately. Adding "the" and "one" doesn't fix the fundamental issue that "most" is wrong for comparing two items. Choice D ("innovativest") attempts to create a superlative by adding "-est" to "innovative," but this is grammatically incorrect. Long adjectives (typically three or more syllables) don't take the "-est" ending; they use "most" for superlatives and "more" for comparatives. Study tip: Remember the "rule of two versus three or more"—comparative forms (better, more intelligent) for two items, superlative forms (best, most intelligent) for three or more. When you see "of the two" in a sentence, immediately look for comparative forms in the answer choices.

Question 6

The curator displayed a set of fossils, including a small trilobite and a much larger ammonite. After the tour, the curator placed the ammonite near the exit, and the trilobite was stored in a drawer because   was more fragile.

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

  1. it (correct answer)
  2. they
  3. he
  4. those
Explanation: This question tests pronoun reference with clear antecedents. The pronoun must refer to "the trilobite" (the subject of the clause), which is singular and non-human, so we need "it" (Choice A). The sentence structure makes clear that the trilobite was stored because the trilobite was fragile. Choice B "they" is plural and doesn't match the singular antecedent. Choice C "he" implies human gender. Choice D "those" is plural and demonstrative, not matching the singular trilobite. When a pronoun immediately follows its antecedent in the same clause, ensure number agreement and use the appropriate pronoun for non-human objects.

Question 7

The taste of fresh herbs is better than dried ones.

Which choice eliminates the faulty comparison?

  1. Fresh herbs taste better than dried ones.
  2. Fresh herbs' taste is superior to dried ones.
  3. The taste of fresh herbs is better than the taste of dried ones. (correct answer)
  4. Better than dried ones, fresh herbs have taste.
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence that sounds awkward or unclear, look for faulty comparisons—instances where two different types of things are being compared inappropriately. In this question, the original sentence compares "the taste of fresh herbs" to "dried ones" (dried herbs), which creates a logical mismatch between a quality (taste) and the herbs themselves. The correct answer is C because it creates a proper parallel comparison between "the taste of fresh herbs" and "the taste of dried ones." Both sides of the comparison now refer to the same type of thing—taste—making the sentence logically sound and clear. Let's examine why the other options fail: Choice A changes the sentence structure entirely but doesn't address the core comparison issue, as it's comparing "fresh herbs" to "dried ones" rather than their tastes specifically. Choice B maintains the faulty comparison by contrasting "fresh herbs' taste" with "dried ones" (the herbs themselves) rather than their taste. Choice D creates an even more awkward construction with "Better than dried ones, fresh herbs have taste," which suggests dried herbs have no taste at all and places the comparison in a confusing position. The key strategy here is to identify what's actually being compared and ensure both sides of the comparison are the same type of thing. When you see comparison words like "better than," "more than," or "superior to," check that you're comparing apples to apples, not apples to the taste of oranges.

Question 8

A series of short interviews about local history was recorded for the community radio station and later edited into a single program. The series, including one segment about the old harbor,   broadcast every Saturday morning.

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

  1. are
  2. were
  3. is (correct answer)
  4. have been
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement with collective nouns and present tense for habitual actions. The subject 'series' is singular, and the phrase 'including one segment about the old harbor' is a nonrestrictive modifier that doesn't alter the number, so 'is' correctly matches in the present tense to describe the ongoing broadcast schedule. Choice A 'are' is plural, mismatching the singular subject; B 'were' shifts to past tense unnecessarily; and D 'have been' introduces present perfect, which isn't needed for the habitual present context. For collective nouns like 'series' or 'committee,' treat them as singular unless the context emphasizes individual members acting separately.

Question 9

If she   the committee chair, she would implement the new policy immediately.

Which choice correctly uses the subjunctive mood?

  1. were (correct answer)
  2. was
  3. is
  4. would be
Explanation: When you encounter a sentence with a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact condition, you need to recognize that English uses the subjunctive mood to express these unreal situations. The key signal here is the conditional structure "If she   the committee chair, she would..." which indicates we're discussing something that isn't actually true. The correct answer is (A) "were" because the subjunctive mood requires "were" for all persons in hypothetical conditions, even with singular subjects like "she." This construction emphasizes that we're discussing an imaginary scenario, not reality. The sentence expresses what would happen if she held a position she doesn't currently hold. Choice (B) "was" is incorrect because it uses the indicative mood, which states facts rather than hypothetical situations. While "was" is grammatically correct for past tense statements about "she," it doesn't convey the unreal, conditional meaning intended here. Choice (C) "is" fails because it's present tense indicative, suggesting she actually is the committee chair right now, which contradicts the hypothetical nature of the sentence structure. Choice (D) "would be" creates an error in conditional logic by using "would" in both clauses. Proper conditional sentences use "were" (or simple past) in the "if" clause and "would" in the result clause, not "would" in both parts. Remember: whenever you see "If I/he/she were..." constructions, you're dealing with subjunctive mood for hypothetical situations. The word "were" is your reliable indicator, regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural.

Question 10

A chemist explained that some reactions proceed faster when a catalyst is present, even though the catalyst is not consumed. In the demonstration, the catalyst   unchanged at the end of the reaction.

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

  1. remain
  2. remained (correct answer)
  3. remaining
  4. remains
Explanation: This question tests verb tense consistency within a narrative. The chemist "explained" (past tense) and the demonstration occurred in the past, so we need the past tense "remained" (Choice B) to maintain consistency. Choice A "remain" is present tense and doesn't match the past context. Choice C "remaining" creates a fragment without a main verb. Choice D "remains" is present tense and contradicts the past-tense framework established by "explained." When a passage establishes a past-tense narrative frame, maintain that tense throughout unless there's a clear reason to shift.

Question 11

A collection of rare coins   displayed in the museum's main gallery.

Which choice best maintains subject-verb agreement?

  1. is (correct answer)
  2. are
  3. were
  4. have been
Explanation: Subject-verb agreement questions test whether you can identify the true subject of a sentence and match it with the correct verb form, even when other words might confuse you. In this sentence, the key is recognizing that "collection" is the subject, not "coins." Even though "coins" appears right before the blank, it's part of the prepositional phrase "of rare coins," which describes what kind of collection we're talking about. The subject "collection" is singular, so it needs a singular verb. Choice A ("is") is correct because "collection" is a singular noun requiring the singular verb "is." The sentence reads: "A collection of rare coins is displayed in the museum's main gallery." Choice B ("are") is wrong because it's a plural verb that would agree with "coins," but "coins" isn't the subject—it's just the object of the preposition "of." Choice C ("were") makes the same error as B, treating "coins" as the subject, plus it incorrectly shifts to past tense when the context suggests present tense. Choice D ("have been") is also plural and doesn't agree with the singular subject "collection." Additionally, there's no indication in the sentence that we need the present perfect tense. Study tip: When you see a noun followed by a prepositional phrase (like "collection of coins," "group of students," or "box of chocolates"), the verb should agree with the noun before the preposition, not the noun inside the prepositional phrase. Cross out prepositional phrases mentally to identify the true subject.

Question 12

The new regulations require employees to submit   a weekly report   a monthly summary.

Which choice best completes the sentence with the correct correlative conjunction pair?

  1. either … or (correct answer)
  2. neither … nor
  3. both … nor
  4. not only … nor
Explanation: Correlative conjunctions are word pairs that work together to connect equal elements in a sentence. When you encounter these questions, focus on which pair creates logical meaning and follows proper grammatical structure. Looking at this sentence, you need to determine the relationship between "a weekly report" and "a monthly summary." The context suggests that employees must submit both documents as part of the new regulations, so you need a conjunction pair that presents these as two required options. Choice A) "either … or" is correct because it properly connects two alternatives that employees can choose between. The sentence means employees must submit one or the other document, giving them a choice between weekly reports or monthly summaries. This conjunction pair is grammatically complete and creates logical meaning. Choice B) "neither … nor" is incorrect because it creates a negative meaning, suggesting employees don't need to submit either document, which contradicts the idea of "requirements." Choice C) "both … nor" is grammatically incorrect because "both" must be paired with "and," not "nor." This combination doesn't exist in standard English. Choice D) "not only … nor" is also grammatically incorrect because "not only" must be paired with "but also," not "nor." Study tip: Memorize the standard correlative conjunction pairs: either/or, neither/nor, both/and, not only/but also. When you see one word from a pair, immediately identify what must follow. Also, pay attention to whether the sentence requires a positive or negative meaning to eliminate obviously wrong choices quickly.

Question 13

The lecture ended early,   the audience stayed to ask questions.

Which choice best completes the sentence to avoid a comma splice?

  1. but (correct answer)
  2. and
  3. therefore
  4. the
Explanation: When you encounter a question about avoiding comma splices, you're dealing with sentence structure and proper ways to connect independent clauses. A comma splice occurs when two complete sentences are incorrectly joined with only a comma. The sentence "The lecture ended early" and "the audience stayed to ask questions" are both independent clauses that express contrasting ideas. To properly connect them, you need a coordinating conjunction that shows the relationship between these contrasting thoughts. Choice A) "but" is correct because it's a coordinating conjunction that establishes the contrast between the lecture ending early and the audience choosing to stay. The word "but" signals that the second clause presents an unexpected or opposing outcome to the first. Choice B) "and" incorrectly suggests the two actions are simply additive or expected to happen together, missing the contrasting relationship between an early ending and people staying longer. Choice C) "therefore" creates a logical error by implying that the audience stayed because the lecture ended early, which doesn't make logical sense. Additionally, "therefore" typically requires a semicolon before it, not just a comma. Choice D) "the" would create a run-on sentence by making "the audience stayed to ask questions" into a dependent clause that doesn't properly connect to the first independent clause, resulting in an incomplete thought. Remember: when you see two independent clauses joined by a comma, look for a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) that accurately expresses the logical relationship between the ideas.

Question 14

After the storm subsided, the hikers, exhausted but relieved,   their campsite and prepared a simple meal.

Which choice completes the sentence so that it follows the conventions of standard English?

  1. returned to (correct answer)
  2. returning to
  3. had return to
  4. returns toward
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of verb forms and sentence structure, specifically how to complete a compound predicate with the correct verb form. The sentence has a clear structure: "After the storm subsided, the hikers...   their campsite and prepared a simple meal." The key insight is that this sentence contains two main actions connected by "and" - the missing verb and "prepared." Since these actions are part of a compound predicate (two verbs sharing the same subject), they must be in parallel form. Choice A) "returned to" is correct because it creates a complete, grammatically parallel structure: "the hikers returned to their campsite and prepared a simple meal." Both "returned" and "prepared" are simple past tense verbs, maintaining parallel structure and proper tense consistency with the opening clause "after the storm subsided." Choice B) "returning to" creates a sentence fragment because it uses a participle instead of a finite verb, leaving the main clause without a complete predicate. Choice C) "had return to" is grammatically incorrect - the past perfect requires "had returned," not "had return." The auxiliary verb "had" must be followed by a past participle. Choice D) "returns toward" breaks parallel structure by using present tense while "prepared" is past tense, and "toward" doesn't make logical sense in this context where they're going back to an established location. When you see compound predicates connected by "and," always ensure the verbs match in tense and form. This parallel structure is a common PSAT testing point.

Question 15

The festival features live music, offers cooking demonstrations, and the opportunity to sample local produce.

Which revision corrects the error in parallelism?

  1. features live music, offers cooking demonstrations, and provides the opportunity to sample local produce. (correct answer)
  2. featuring live music, offering cooking demonstrations, and the opportunity to sample local produce.
  3. features live music, offering cooking demonstrations, and samples of local produce.
  4. having live music, cooking demonstrations, and gives a chance to sample local produce.
Explanation: Parallelism questions test whether you can identify and fix lists where items don't follow the same grammatical pattern. When you see a sentence with multiple actions or items connected by "and," each element should have the same grammatical structure. In the original sentence, the festival does three things, but they're not expressed in parallel form: "features live music" (verb + object), "offers cooking demonstrations" (verb + object), and "the opportunity to sample local produce" (just a noun phrase with no verb). This breaks the parallel structure because the third item doesn't match the verb + object pattern of the first two. Choice A correctly fixes this by making all three elements follow the same verb + object pattern: "features live music," "offers cooking demonstrations," and "provides the opportunity to sample local produce." Now all three items are structured identically. Choice B fails because it changes the first two items to "-ing" forms ("featuring," "offering") but leaves the third as a noun phrase, creating a different but still unparallel structure. Choice C mixes verb forms inconsistently: "features" (present tense), "offering" (-ing form), and "samples" (noun), which creates three different grammatical patterns instead of maintaining consistency. Choice D attempts to use parallel nouns ("music," "demonstrations") but then switches back to a verb phrase ("gives a chance"), breaking the pattern it started to establish. Strategy tip: In parallelism questions, identify the pattern established by the first item in the series, then check that every subsequent item follows that exact same grammatical structure.

Question 16

Last spring, the engineering team tested several prototypes in a wind tunnel and recorded vibration levels at different speeds. By the time the final report was submitted in June, the team   the most stable design through repeated trials.

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

  1. identifies
  2. identified
  3. had identified (correct answer)
  4. will identify
Explanation: This question tests verb tense, specifically the use of past perfect to indicate an action completed before another past event. The timeline markers 'last spring' and 'by the time the final report was submitted in June' establish past actions, with the identification happening prior to the submission, so 'had identified' correctly uses past perfect to show this sequence. Choice A 'identifies' is present tense, mismatched with the past context; B 'identified' is simple past, which doesn't convey the prior completion; and D 'will identify' incorrectly shifts to future. In tense questions involving timelines, identify the order of events to choose the form that accurately reflects sequence, such as past perfect for earlier actions in past narratives.

Question 17

In coastal wetlands, the salinity of the water changes throughout the day as tides move in and out. The level of dissolved salt, along with the temperature of the shallow pools,   which plant species can survive there over time.

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

  1. determine
  2. determining
  3. determines (correct answer)
  4. have determined
Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement with a compound subject. The subject is "The level of dissolved salt, along with the temperature of the shallow pools," but the key is that "along with" doesn't create a compound subject—the true subject is just "The level," which is singular. Therefore, we need the singular verb "determines" (Choice C). Choice A "determine" is plural and doesn't agree with the singular subject. Choice B "determining" creates a sentence fragment without a main verb. Choice D "have determined" is both plural and uses the wrong tense. When you see phrases like "along with," "as well as," or "in addition to," remember they don't change the number of the subject—focus on the main noun before these phrases.

Question 18

She almost spent the entire bonus on renovating the kitchen.

Which revision corrects the error in modifier placement?

  1. She spent almost the entire bonus on renovating the kitchen. (correct answer)
  2. Almost she spent the entire bonus on renovating the kitchen.
  3. She spent the entire bonus almost on renovating the kitchen.
  4. She spent the entire bonus on almost renovating the kitchen.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about modifier placement, you're dealing with how descriptive words or phrases relate to what they're meant to describe. The key is ensuring that modifiers are positioned to clearly indicate their intended meaning. In the original sentence, "almost" is misplaced. As written, "almost spent" suggests she came close to spending but didn't actually spend the money. However, the intended meaning is that she spent nearly all of the bonus, not that she almost took the action of spending. Choice A correctly places "almost" before "the entire bonus," clearly indicating that she spent nearly the full amount. This placement makes "almost" modify "the entire bonus" rather than the verb "spent," which fixes the logical error. Choice B places "almost" at the beginning before "she," which creates an awkward construction that doesn't clearly modify anything. This placement is both grammatically incorrect and unclear in meaning. Choice C puts "almost" between "bonus" and "on," creating the nonsensical phrase "bonus almost on renovating." This placement breaks up the prepositional phrase and creates confusion about what "almost" is meant to modify. Choice D places "almost" before "renovating," suggesting she spent money on something that was nearly renovating but not quite. This changes the meaning entirely and doesn't address the original error. Remember: when you see modifier placement questions, identify what the modifier should logically describe, then check that it's positioned next to that element. Misplaced modifiers often create unintended or illogical meanings.

Question 19

If one wants to succeed in coding, you must practice regularly and seek feedback.

Which choice corrects the inconsistency in point of view?

  1. If one wants to succeed in coding, one must practice regularly and seek feedback. (correct answer)
  2. If you want to succeed in coding, one must practice regularly and seek feedback.
  3. If one wants to succeed in coding, you must practice regularly and seek feedback.
  4. To succeed in coding, one must practice regularly and you should seek feedback.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about point of view consistency, you're being tested on pronoun agreement throughout a sentence. The key is ensuring that all pronouns referring to the same person or group maintain the same perspective—either first person (I, we), second person (you), or third person (he, she, one, they). The original sentence shifts inconsistently from third person ("one") to second person ("you"), creating confusion about who the advice is directed toward. Choice A corrects this by maintaining third person throughout: "If one wants to succeed in coding, one must practice regularly and seek feedback." This creates a clear, consistent perspective where the same indefinite person is referenced from start to finish. Choice B makes the opposite error, starting with second person ("you") then switching to third person ("one"). Choice C is identical to the original sentence, maintaining the same inconsistency. Choice D attempts to use third person ("one") but then shifts to second person ("you should"), creating yet another point of view inconsistency. Remember that "one" is a formal third-person pronoun that should be paired with third-person verbs and other third-person pronouns like "one's" or "oneself." When you see "one" in a sentence, scan the rest of the sentence to ensure no second-person "you" pronouns sneak in. This type of shift is a common error in formal writing and a frequent target on standardized tests.

Question 20

Neither Marcus nor the other committee members believed that   could finish the report before the deadline.

Which choice corrects the pronoun error in the sentence?

  1. he
  2. they (correct answer)
  3. him
  4. them
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions, focus on identifying what the pronoun refers to and whether the subject is singular or plural. This sentence uses "neither...nor," which creates a compound subject that follows specific agreement rules. The correct answer is B) "they" because with "neither...nor" constructions, the verb and any pronouns agree with the subject closest to them. Here, "the other committee members" (plural) is closer to the pronoun than "Marcus" (singular), so you need the plural pronoun "they." Let's examine why the other choices fail: A) "he" is incorrect because it's singular and would only refer to Marcus, ignoring the plural "committee members" that's closer to the pronoun. C) "him" has two problems—it's singular (same issue as choice A) and it's an object pronoun, but you need a subject pronoun here since it's performing the action of finishing the report. D) "them" is plural, which correctly matches "committee members," but it's an object pronoun when you need a subject pronoun for this sentence position. The key distinction is between subject pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they) and object pronouns (me, you, him, her, it, us, them). Subject pronouns perform actions, while object pronouns receive actions. Remember this pattern: in "neither...nor" and "either...or" constructions, always make your verb and pronouns agree with whichever subject is closest to them. Also, double-check whether you need a subject or object pronoun based on the pronoun's role in the sentence.