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Mobile App Chapter 5: Problem 19
A. NO CHANGE B. its' C. its D. their
Short Answer
Expert verified
A. NO CHANGE
B. its'
C. its
D. their
Answer: C. its
Step by step solution
01
Analyze each option in context
Replace the blank with each option and determine if it makes sense grammatically and contextually.
A. "The company has to increase NO CHANGE market share."
B. "The company has to increase its' market share."
C. "The company has to increase its market share."
D. "The company has to increase their market share."
02
Identify the subject and its grammatical number
The subject in this sentence is "the company." Since a company is a single entity or a collective noun, we are looking for a pronoun that agrees with this in the singular form.
03
Determine the correct option based on pronoun agreement
In this sentence, the correct pronoun should agree with the singular noun "company." Reviewing our options, we can determine the following:
A. "NO CHANGE" does not provide a suitable pronoun option and is not grammatically correct.
B. "its'" is not a proper pronoun; the apostrophe is misplaced, making it incorrect.
C. "its" is a singular possessive pronoun that matches the subject "company," making it a suitable choice.
D. "their" is a plural possessive pronoun and does not agree with the singular subject "company."
04
Select the correct answer
After analyzing all the options, we can conclude that option C, "its," is the correct pronoun for the given sentence, as it agrees with the subject's singular noun, "company."
Correct sentence: "The company has to increase its market share."
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Pronoun Agreement
Understanding pronoun agreement is essential in crafting grammatically correct sentences. Pronouns must match the number and gender of the noun they're replacing. In the given exercise, the subject 'the company' is a singular entity, requiring a singular pronoun for agreement.
When you come across a sentence with a pronoun, check if the pronoun 'agrees' with its antecedent—the noun to which it refers. For example, singular nouns like 'company', 'child', or 'entity' pair with singular pronouns such as 'it', 'he', or 'she', while plural nouns like 'companies', 'children', or 'entities' require 'they', 'them', or 'their'.
In our exercise, the correct answer is 'its' because it is the singular possessive pronoun that aligns with the singular collective noun 'company'. An apostrophe is never used to form the possessive case of 'it', as seen in option B ('its') which is a common error. The use of 'their' would imply that 'company' is plural, which it is not.
When you come across a sentence with a pronoun, check if the pronoun 'agrees' with its antecedent—the noun to which it refers. For example, singular nouns like 'company', 'child', or 'entity' pair with singular pronouns such as 'it', 'he', or 'she', while plural nouns like 'companies', 'children', or 'entities' require 'they', 'them', or 'their'.
In our exercise, the correct answer is 'its' because it is the singular possessive pronoun that aligns with the singular collective noun 'company'. An apostrophe is never used to form the possessive case of 'it', as seen in option B ('its') which is a common error. The use of 'their' would imply that 'company' is plural, which it is not.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Subject-verb agreement rules dictate that a subject must agree with its verb in number. Simply put, a singular subject pairs with a singular verb, and a plural subject with a plural verb. While pronouns can sometimes make this a little tricky, understanding the basics is key.
In the context of the exercise, 'The company has to increase...' illustrates correct subject-verb agreement. The singular subject 'company' correctly pairs with the verb 'has'. If 'company' were plural, the phrase would change to 'The companies have to increase...'.
Always ensure that you check the noun's number—singular or plural—before deciding which verb form to use. For instance, with pronouns like 'everyone' or 'nobody', which are singular, the verb should also be singular (e.g., 'Everyone is'). Avoid common errors such as mismatching collective nouns with plural verbs—unless the context implies the individuals within the group are acting separately.
In the context of the exercise, 'The company has to increase...' illustrates correct subject-verb agreement. The singular subject 'company' correctly pairs with the verb 'has'. If 'company' were plural, the phrase would change to 'The companies have to increase...'.
Always ensure that you check the noun's number—singular or plural—before deciding which verb form to use. For instance, with pronouns like 'everyone' or 'nobody', which are singular, the verb should also be singular (e.g., 'Everyone is'). Avoid common errors such as mismatching collective nouns with plural verbs—unless the context implies the individuals within the group are acting separately.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns indicate ownership and must agree in number and gender with the nouns they describe. Unlike contractions, they do not contain apostrophes, which is a common point of confusion. For example, 'its', 'hers', 'his', 'ours', 'yours', and 'theirs' show possession without the use of an apostrophe.
In the exercise, 'its' is the possessive pronoun describing who the market share belongs to ('the company'). It is the singular possessive form used for neuter nouns or where the gender is unknown or irrelevant, as with companies. 'Its'' applied in option B is a frequently made mistake. Possessive pronouns are crucial in clear writing, as they quickly communicate ownership without cluttering sentences with extra words.
In the exercise, 'its' is the possessive pronoun describing who the market share belongs to ('the company'). It is the singular possessive form used for neuter nouns or where the gender is unknown or irrelevant, as with companies. 'Its'' applied in option B is a frequently made mistake. Possessive pronouns are crucial in clear writing, as they quickly communicate ownership without cluttering sentences with extra words.
