SAT Writing : Correcting Agreement Errors
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Example Question #51 : Correcting Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repeats the underlined portion as it is written.
A student should always have access to their notes.
one's notes
its notes
his or her notes
it's notes
they're notes
his or her notes
Whenever a sentence refers to a person of unknown gender and a singular possessive pronoun is required that refers to that person, one typically includes both the masculine and the feminine possessive pronouns in the phrase "his or her." In this case, "his or her" is a better choice than "their" because "student" is a singular noun, and "their," which is a plural pronoun, does not agree with it in number. Considering the other potential answer choices, "they're" is the contraction of "they are," which would not make sense in the sentence, "it's" is the contraction of "it is," which wouldn't make sense in the sentence either, and "its" is the possessive form of the pronoun "it," which is not used to refer to a person. So, none of those answer choices can be correct.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Most books printed before the nineteenth century, even ones that have been carefully preserved, contain materials that cause it to decay.
that cause it to decay
that causes it to decay
that can cause it to decay
that cause them to decay
that causes them to decay
that cause them to decay
The original text contains a pronoun agreement error. The intended antecedent of the pronoun "it" is supposed to be "books," which is plural and would therefore require the plural pronoun "them" instead of the singular pronoun "it."
The only answer choices that contain "them" instead of "it" are "that cause them to decay" and "that causes them to decay." The answer choice with "causes," however, uses this singular verb with a plural subject, "materials," and is therefore incorrect.
Example Question #11 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The community is currently accepting nominations for the award, which will be given to the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person who most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person that significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person that has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries.
The original text "the person who has most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries" and the answer choice "the person who most significantly transformed the world through their charitable actions or scientific discoveries" contain pronoun agreement errors because they incorrectly use the plural pronoun "their" to refer to the singular noun "person."
The answer choices "the person that has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" and "the person that significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" are incorrect because they use "that" to refer to a person, when "who" or "whom" should be used when referring to a person. (Remember to use "that" only when referring to non-human living things or objects.)
The answer choice "the person who has most significantly transformed the world through his or her charitable actions or scientific discoveries" is correct because it is the only answer choice that correctly uses "who" and the singular pronoun "his or her" to match the singular noun "person."
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Mitchell was one of the first members of corporate to realize that employees are most productive when he or she feels to be part of a team.
they feel as if they are part of a team
he or she feels to be part of a team
it's more like a team for them
feeling part of a team is made possible
he or she feels part of a team
they feel as if they are part of a team
The pronoun refers to employees, so the pronoun should be plural rather than the singular he or she.
Example Question #1 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The loss of a parent at a young age can traumatize a person for the rest of your life.
for the rest of your living.
on the rest of your life.
for the rest of yourself's life.
for the rest of his or her life.
for the rest of your life.
for the rest of his or her life.
The use of "your" at the end of the sentence is confusing, as the only reference in the sentence is "a person," and the second person pronoun has no place in the sentence. Changing "your" to a third person possessive pronoun will straighten out this problem. Because we do not know whether the "person" in question is male or female, we should use the phrase "his or her." The correct answer choice, therefore, is "for the rest of his or her life."
Example Question #18 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The rites of ancient Roman religion are nearly impossible to recreate centuries after it was no longer an active faith.
after it was not an active faith.
after the faith not being active.
after the faith was no longer active.
after it was no longer an active faith.
after it was no longer active as a faith.
after the faith was no longer active.
The phrase as written in the underlined portion makes an odd reference. The subject of the sentence are the "rites," and not the religion. The faith needs to be specifically referenced, as well as being fully grammatically correct; therefore, "after the faith was no longer active" is the correct answer choice.
Example Question #21 : Pronoun Antecedent Number Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Even though the army used every weapon at their disposal, the enemy was still able to make it into the base.
Even if the army used every weapon at their disposal
Even though the army used every weapon at their disposal
Even though the army used every weapons at their disposal
Even though the army used every weapon at its disposal
Even though the army uses every weapon at their disposal
Even though the army used every weapon at its disposal
The plural possessive pronoun "their" does not agree with its singular subject, "the army." Even though "the army" represents a group of people, it is a singular noun, and should consequently be modified by the pronoun "its."
Example Question #11 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
All of the workers were feeling tired and worn-down that day; none of them did their fair share of the work, and as a consequence, the project remained unfinished.
there
their
his
his or her
they're
his or her
The word being modified by the underlined portion of the sentence above is "none," which is a singular noun. Therefore, you must use a singular possessive to match up with that word. Because the gender of "none" is not specified, we must use "his or her."
Example Question #12 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
We finished all of our food an hour ago, I'm already hungry.
our
his
my
her
we're
our
Here, it is clear from the sentence that the food in question belongs to the noun "we." "We" is a plural first-person pronoun. As such, you must use the plural first-person possessive pronoun in conjunction with it: "our."
Example Question #13 : Correcting Pronoun Antecedent Agreement Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
I loaned my car to some friends, Sal and Joe, and they did not take good care of their car; I'm frustrated that they so egregiously abused my property.
her
their
my
they're
his
my
Here, because of the context of other parts of the sentence, we know that the car being referred to belongs to the "I" of the first sentence. Because that "I" is also the speaker, we know that the correct possessive pronoun to use in conjunction with the car is "my."
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