TACHS Quiz: Pronoun Errors
20 questions · exam conditions
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Pronoun ErrorsQuestion 1 of 20

Select the sentence with correct pronoun usage after a linking verb.

The winner of the math contest was her.
It is them who forgot the tickets.
The caller at the door was she.
The guilty party might be us.
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TACHS Quiz

TACHS Quiz: Pronoun Errors

Practice Pronoun Errors in TACHS 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 Pronoun Errors, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for TACHS.

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

Select the sentence with correct pronoun usage after a linking verb.

  1. The winner of the math contest was her.
  2. It is them who forgot the tickets.
  3. The caller at the door was she. (correct answer)
  4. The guilty party might be us.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about pronouns after linking verbs, remember that linking verbs (like "is," "was," "might be") connect the subject to a word that renames or describes it. This creates a special grammar rule: use subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) rather than object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) after linking verbs. The correct answer is C because "she" is the proper subject pronoun to use after the linking verb "was." You can test this by flipping the sentence: "She was the caller at the door" sounds natural and correct. Choice A uses "her," which is an object pronoun. The linking verb "was" requires a subject pronoun, so it should be "The winner was she." Choice B incorrectly uses "them" after "is." The correct form would be "It is they who forgot the tickets." Choice D makes the same error with "us" after "might be." Since "us" is an object pronoun, this should read "The guilty party might be we." This grammar rule often sounds formal or even awkward to modern ears because we commonly use object pronouns in casual speech ("It's me!" instead of "It is I"). However, on formal writing exams like the TACHS, stick to the traditional rule: subject pronouns after linking verbs. A quick test is to reverse the sentence—if it sounds wrong backwards, you've likely chosen the wrong pronoun case.

Question 2

Find the sentence that uses a possessive pronoun correctly.

  1. The puppy wagged it's tail when the door opened.
  2. The dress lost it's button during the dance.
  3. Whose keys are these on the counter? (correct answer)
  4. The team celebrated its' championship victory downtown.
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of possessive pronouns versus contractions, a common source of confusion in written expression. You need to identify which sentence correctly uses a possessive form without apostrophes. The correct answer is C because "whose" is the proper possessive form of "who." It shows ownership (whose keys) without needing an apostrophe. This is how possessive pronouns work—they indicate possession naturally without additional punctuation. Let's examine why the other options are incorrect. Choice A uses "it's," which is a contraction meaning "it is" or "it has," not the possessive form. The sentence would read "The puppy wagged it is tail," which is grammatically wrong. The correct possessive form is "its" (without an apostrophe). Choice B makes the same error—"it's" should be "its" to show that the button belongs to the dress. Choice D incorrectly adds an apostrophe after "its" to create "its'," which isn't a real word. The possessive pronoun "its" never takes an apostrophe. Remember this key distinction: possessive pronouns (its, whose, yours, hers, theirs) never use apostrophes, while contractions (it's, who's, you're) always do. When you see "it's" in a sentence, mentally substitute "it is" or "it has"—if the sentence doesn't make sense, you need the possessive "its" instead. This apostrophe rule for possessive pronouns is the opposite of possessive nouns, making it a frequent test trap.

Question 3

Identify the choice that revises the sentence so the pronoun case is correct.

"Dad offered to drive Alex and I to the museum after lunch."

  1. Dad offered to drive Alex and I to our museum trip after lunch.
  2. Dad offered to drive Alex and myself to the museum after lunch.
  3. Dad offered to drive Alex and I myself to the museum after lunch.
  4. Dad offered to drive Alex and me to the museum after lunch. (correct answer)
Explanation: Pronoun case questions test whether you can identify the correct form of a pronoun based on its function in the sentence. The key is determining whether the pronoun is acting as a subject (doing the action) or an object (receiving the action). In this sentence, "Alex and [pronoun]" are the objects of the verb "drive" - they are receiving the action of being driven. When a pronoun functions as an object, you must use the objective case. The objective case of "I" is "me." To test this, remove "Alex and" from the sentence: "Dad offered to drive me to the museum" sounds correct, while "Dad offered to drive I to the museum" clearly sounds wrong. Choice D correctly uses "me," the objective case pronoun needed here. Choice A keeps the incorrect "I" and only adds unnecessary words about "our museum trip." Choice B uses "myself," which is a reflexive pronoun that should only be used when the subject and object refer to the same person - but Dad is driving them, not themselves. Choice C combines both errors by using "I myself," making the sentence even more awkward and grammatically incorrect. Remember this simple trick: when you see compound objects (two people connected by "and"), temporarily remove the other person and "and" to hear which pronoun sounds right. If you wouldn't say "Dad drove I," then "Dad drove Alex and I" is also wrong. This strategy works for both subject and object pronouns in compound constructions.

Question 4

Which revision corrects the pronoun error in the following sentence?

"The winner of the spelling bee waved their trophy proudly."

  1. The winner of the spelling bee waved there trophy proudly.
  2. The winner of the spelling bee waved its trophy proudly.
  3. The winner of the spelling bee waved them trophy proudly.
  4. The winner of the spelling bee waved his or her trophy proudly. (correct answer)
Explanation: This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement, which means making sure pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. The antecedent here is "the winner," which is a singular noun that could refer to either a male or female person. The correct answer is D because "his or her" properly matches the singular antecedent "winner" while accounting for the fact that the gender is unknown. This construction maintains grammatical agreement and clarity. Let's examine why the other options fail. Option A uses "there," which is an adverb indicating location, not a possessive pronoun—this creates a completely different meaning and is grammatically incorrect. Option B uses "its," which is the possessive form for things or animals, not people. While "its" is singular like "winner," it's inappropriate because we're discussing a human being, not an object. Option C uses "them," which is plural, creating a number disagreement with the singular "winner." The original sentence used "their," which reflects a common modern tendency to use plural pronouns with singular antecedents of unknown gender. However, in formal writing and standardized tests, the traditional rule requires singular pronouns with singular antecedents. When you encounter pronoun questions, first identify the antecedent, then check for agreement in number (singular/plural) and appropriateness for the context (person/thing, known/unknown gender). Remember that "his or her" is the formally correct way to handle singular antecedents of unknown gender in academic writing.

Question 5

Read the sentence.

"If anyone needs a ride, let me know and I will pick them up."
Which change is needed for correct pronoun-antecedent agreement?

  1. Change "anyone" to "people."
  2. Change "them" to "him or her." (correct answer)
  3. Change "I" to "me."
  4. Change "ride" to "rides."
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun-antecedent agreement questions, you need to ensure that pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. The challenge here is that "anyone" is a singular indefinite pronoun, but it's paired with "them," which is plural. The sentence contains a mismatch: "anyone" (singular) is referred to by "them" (plural). To fix this agreement error, you need to change "them" to "him or her," making both parts singular. This creates proper agreement: "If anyone needs a ride, let me know and I will pick him or her up." Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A suggests changing "anyone" to "people," which would actually create a different sentence meaning and isn't necessary since the problem is with the pronoun, not the antecedent. Choice C proposes changing "I" to "me," but "I" is correct as the subject performing the action "will pick." Choice D suggests changing "ride" to "rides," but this creates a subject-verb disagreement since "anyone" (singular) correctly takes the singular verb "needs," not the plural "ride" becoming "rides." Remember that indefinite pronouns like "anyone," "everyone," "somebody," and "nobody" are always singular, even though they may seem to refer to multiple people. When you see these words, immediately check that any referring pronouns are also singular. Watch for the common trap of using "they/them" with these singular indefinites—it's grammatically incorrect in formal writing, even though it's becoming more accepted in casual speech.

Question 6

Which option corrects the pronoun case in the given sentence?

"Between you and I, the movie was too long."

  1. Between you and myself, the movie was too long.
  2. Between I and you, the movie was too long.
  3. Between you and me, the movie was too long. (correct answer)
  4. Between me and you, the movie was too long, in my opinion.
Explanation: This question tests pronoun case, specifically when pronouns are used as objects of prepositions. When you see pronouns after words like "between," "for," "with," or "to," you need to determine whether they function as subjects or objects in the sentence. The key is recognizing that "between" is a preposition, so any pronouns following it must be in the objective case. You can test this by removing the other person from the phrase - you would never say "between I" by itself, just as you wouldn't say "the gift is for I." The correct objective form is "me," making "between you and me" the proper construction. Option A uses "myself," which is a reflexive pronoun that should only be used when the subject is performing an action on themselves. Since there's no such action here, "myself" is incorrect. Option B keeps the problematic "I" and simply rearranges the order, but this doesn't fix the case error. Option D uses the correct pronoun case with "between me and you," but it's unnecessarily wordy with the added phrase "in my opinion," and the standard order puts "you" before "me" for politeness. Option C correctly uses "me" (objective case) and follows the conventional order of putting the other person first. This makes it both grammatically correct and stylistically appropriate. Remember this trick: when checking pronoun case after prepositions, temporarily remove the other people from the sentence. If "between I" sounds wrong alone, then "between you and I" is also incorrect.

Question 7

Read the sentence.

"The soccer team celebrated after they won its final match."
Which revision best corrects the pronoun-antecedent disagreement?

  1. The soccer team celebrated after them won its final match.
  2. The soccer team celebrated after they won their final match.
  3. The soccer team celebrated after it won their final match.
  4. The soccer team celebrated after it won its final match. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun-antecedent questions, you need to ensure that pronouns consistently agree with their antecedent (the noun they refer to) in both number and person. The key challenge here is that "team" is a collective noun that can be treated as either singular or plural, but you must be consistent throughout the sentence. The correct answer is D because it treats "soccer team" as a singular unit consistently. "It won its final match" uses singular pronouns throughout - "it" (singular subject pronoun) and "its" (singular possessive pronoun). This creates perfect pronoun-antecedent agreement. Let's examine why the other options fail. Choice A uses "them won," which is grammatically incorrect since "them" is an object pronoun that cannot serve as a subject. Choice B mixes approaches by using "they" (plural) with "their" (plural), treating the team as multiple individuals, but this creates inconsistency with how "team" is typically viewed as a single entity. Choice C commits the most obvious error by mixing singular and plural within the same sentence - "it won their" combines a singular subject pronoun with a plural possessive pronoun. Remember this strategy: with collective nouns like "team," "class," or "committee," pick either singular or plural treatment and stick with it throughout the entire sentence. Most standardized tests prefer the singular approach for collective nouns when they're acting as a unified group, so when in doubt, treat them as singular entities.

Question 8

Identify the sentence with correct pronoun case in a comparison.

  1. Julia swims faster than him.
  2. Julia swims faster than he. (correct answer)
  3. Julia swims faster than he does swim.
  4. Julia swims faster than himself.
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun comparisons, you need to determine which pronoun case is correct by completing the implied comparison in your mind. In comparisons using "than" or "as," there's often an implied verb that gets omitted. To find the correct pronoun case, mentally complete the sentence with the missing verb. "Julia swims faster than he" becomes "Julia swims faster than he [swims]." Since "he" would be the subject of the implied verb "swims," you need the subjective case pronoun "he," making choice B correct. Choice A uses "him," which is the objective case. If you completed this sentence, you'd have "Julia swims faster than him swims," which is clearly wrong because "him" cannot be the subject of a verb. Choice C includes "does swim," which makes the implied verb explicit. While this isn't grammatically incorrect, it's unnecessarily wordy and awkward. The question asks for correct pronoun case, and the most natural, correct form omits the helping verb. Choice D uses "himself," a reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of the sentence, but here there's no logical connection between "himself" and Julia (the subject). This creates a meaningless comparison. Remember this strategy: when you see pronoun comparisons with "than" or "as," mentally add the implied verb after the pronoun. If the completed sentence sounds right with a subject pronoun (he, she, I, we, they), use the subjective case. This technique will help you avoid the common trap of choosing objective pronouns in comparisons.

Question 9

Which revision corrects the pronoun-antecedent error?

"Each of the actors thanked their director for the opportunity."

  1. Each of the actors thanked its director for the opportunity.
  2. All of the actors thanked their director for the opportunity.
  3. Each of the actors thanked his or her director for the opportunity. (correct answer)
  4. Each of the actors thanked them director for the opportunity.
Explanation: Pronoun-antecedent agreement requires that pronouns match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. When you see "each" as the subject, remember that it's always singular, even when followed by a plural phrase like "of the actors." The correct answer is C because "each" is a singular indefinite pronoun that requires a singular pronoun reference. Since we don't know the gender of the actors, "his or her" properly maintains the singular form while being inclusive. This creates proper agreement: singular antecedent ("each") with singular pronoun ("his or her"). Choice A is incorrect because "its" is used for objects or animals, not people. While "its" is singular and would technically agree in number with "each," it's inappropriate for human subjects. Choice B changes the meaning entirely by replacing "each" with "all." Though "all...their" creates proper agreement (plural with plural), this doesn't correct the original sentence—it rewrites it completely. Choice D uses "them," which is plural and doesn't agree with the singular "each." Additionally, "them" is an object pronoun incorrectly used as a possessive (it should be "their" if you were going for plural possessive, but that would still be wrong here). Watch for "each," "every," "either," and "neither"—these indefinite pronouns are always singular and trap many test-takers who get distracted by plural words that follow them. When gender is unknown, "his or her" is the traditional formal solution, though modern usage increasingly accepts singular "they."

Question 10

Which sentence correctly matches a collective noun with a plural pronoun to emphasize individual members?

  1. The class took its seats quickly after the bell.
  2. The audience clapped its hands for an encore.
  3. The committee shared their differing opinions openly. (correct answer)
  4. The flock changed its direction with the wind.
Explanation: When you encounter questions about collective nouns and pronouns, you need to determine whether the sentence emphasizes the group as a unit or the individual members within that group. Collective nouns like "team," "committee," "class," and "audience" can take either singular or plural pronouns depending on this emphasis. Option C correctly demonstrates this concept. "The committee shared their differing opinions openly" uses the plural pronoun "their" because the sentence emphasizes individual members of the committee expressing different viewpoints. When collective noun subjects perform actions that highlight individual variation or separate actions by members, plural pronouns are appropriate. Options A, B, and D all incorrectly use singular pronouns with collective nouns, but these particular sentences could actually work with singular pronouns since they describe unified group actions. However, they miss the question's specific requirement to show individual member emphasis. In A, "The class took its seats" treats the class as a unit. In B, "The audience clapped its hands" presents the audience as acting collectively. In D, "The flock changed its direction" shows the flock moving as one entity. None of these sentences emphasize individual members performing separate or varied actions. For TACHS questions about collective nouns, look for context clues that signal individual versus group emphasis. Words like "differing," "various," "separate," or "individual" often indicate you need plural pronouns, while unified actions typically call for singular pronouns.

Question 11

Identify the sentence with the correct use of "who" or "whom."

  1. To who should the invitation be addressed?
  2. Whom is arriving on the early train tomorrow?
  3. The student who earned the scholarship thanked the donors. (correct answer)
  4. The coach, whom everyone trusts, announced the lineup.
Explanation: When you encounter "who" versus "whom" questions, you're being tested on pronoun case - whether to use the subject form (who) or object form (whom). The key is determining the pronoun's role in its own clause. To decide between "who" and "whom," try substituting "he/she" (subject) or "him/her" (object). If "he/she" works, use "who." If "him/her" works, use "whom." Choice C is correct because "who" serves as the subject of the clause "who earned the scholarship." You can test this: "He earned the scholarship" works perfectly, confirming that "who" is the subject performing the action. Let's examine why the other options fail. Choice A uses "who" incorrectly because it follows the preposition "to." Prepositions require object pronouns, so it should be "To whom should the invitation be addressed?" Choice B incorrectly uses "whom" as the subject of "is arriving." Since "He is arriving" makes sense (not "Him is arriving"), this should be "Who is arriving on the early train tomorrow?" Choice D might seem correct at first glance, but "whom everyone trusts" is wrong because within that clause, the pronoun is the object of "trusts" - everyone trusts him/her - so "whom" would be correct here. However, this makes D a trickier case that requires careful analysis. Remember this strategy: identify whether the pronoun is doing the action (subject = who) or receiving the action (object = whom). When in doubt, use the he/she versus him/her substitution test.

Question 12

Choose the sentence in which the pronoun shifts person unnecessarily, creating agreement problems.

  1. If students read every night, they will improve vocabulary quickly.
  2. After we clean the field, we can leave for home.
  3. When one finishes the form, you should give it to the registrar. (correct answer)
  4. Because she studied, Maria felt confident about the exam.
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions, you need to check that pronouns maintain consistent person throughout a sentence or clause. Person refers to the perspective: first person (I, we), second person (you), or third person (he, she, it, they, one). The correct answer is C because it contains an unnecessary pronoun shift that creates confusion. The sentence begins with "one" (third person indefinite) in "When one finishes the form," but then switches to "you" (second person) in "you should give it to the registrar." This shift is jarring and incorrect—the sentence should maintain consistency by using either "one should give it" or by starting with "When you finish the form, you should give it." Let's examine why the other options work correctly. Choice A maintains third person throughout: "students" and "they" are both third person plural. Choice B stays in first person: both instances use "we." Choice D uses third person consistently: "she" refers back to "Maria," maintaining the same person and number. The key trap in pronoun shift questions is that the incorrect sentence often sounds conversational or natural in spoken English, where we sometimes mix "one" and "you" casually. However, formal written English requires consistency. Remember this strategy: when you see pronouns like "one," "you," "we," or "they" in the same sentence, trace each pronoun back to its antecedent and verify they're all in the same person. Mixed pronouns referring to the same subject create agreement errors.

Question 13

Read the sentence.

"The robotics club presented their design, and it impressed the judges."
What change, if any, should be made to improve pronoun clarity and agreement?

  1. No change is necessary; the pronouns are correct.
  2. Change "it" to "they."
  3. Change "design" to "designs."
  4. Change "their" to "its." (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun questions on the TACHS, focus on two key principles: pronoun-antecedent agreement and clarity. Every pronoun must clearly refer to a specific noun, and they must agree in number (singular/plural). Let's analyze this sentence: "The robotics club presented their design, and it impressed the judges." The issue here is with "their" - this plural pronoun refers back to "robotics club," but collective nouns like "club" are treated as singular when the group acts as one unit. Since the club is presenting one design together, we need the singular possessive pronoun "its." The pronoun "it" correctly refers to the singular "design," so that part is fine. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A is incorrect because there is a pronoun agreement error with "their." Choice B suggests changing "it" to "they," but this would create a new error since "design" is singular and needs the singular pronoun "it." Choice C proposes changing "design" to "designs," but this doesn't fix the original problem with "their" and would actually make the sentence less clear about what impressed the judges. Choice D correctly changes "their" to "its," making the sentence read: "The robotics club presented its design, and it impressed the judges." Remember this pattern: collective nouns (team, club, committee, family) typically take singular pronouns when the group acts as one unit. Watch for this common trap on pronoun agreement questions.

Question 14

Choose the sentence in which the pronoun agrees with its compound antecedent.

  1. Neither the coach nor the players remembered his whistle.
  2. Either the boys or Carla will bring their speaker to the picnic.
  3. Both Maya and Zoe forgot their art portfolios in the classroom. (correct answer)
  4. Both the cat and the dog chased its tail around the yard.
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun-antecedent agreement with compound subjects, you need to identify whether the compound is joined by "and" (which creates a plural antecedent) or by "or/nor" (which follows proximity rules where the pronoun agrees with the closer noun). Choice C correctly demonstrates this principle. "Both Maya and Zoe" creates a compound subject joined by "and," making it plural. Therefore, the plural pronoun "their" is correct. This follows the straightforward rule that compound subjects joined by "and" are always plural. Let's examine why the other choices fail. Choice A uses "Neither...nor" construction where "players" (plural) is closer to the pronoun, but "his" is singular—it should be "their." Choice B presents "Either...or" where "Carla" (singular, feminine) is closer to the pronoun, but uses "their" instead of the correct "her." Choice D uses "Both...and" to create a plural compound subject (cat and dog), but incorrectly uses the singular "its" instead of "their." The key trap here is remembering that "or/nor" constructions require the pronoun to match the closer noun, while "and" constructions always create plural antecedents. Also, "both" is a strong signal that you're dealing with a plural subject. Strategy tip: When you see compound antecedents, first identify the connecting word. If it's "and," use a plural pronoun. If it's "or/nor," match the pronoun to whichever noun is closest to it in the sentence.

Question 15

Choose the sentence in which all pronouns agree with their antecedents.

  1. Each of the buses completed their route on time.
  2. The orchestra tuned its instruments before the concert began. (correct answer)
  3. Several of the hikers left his water bottle at the campsite.
  4. Neither of the dogs would eat its dinner after noon.
Explanation: Pronoun-antecedent agreement requires pronouns to match their antecedents in number (singular or plural) and person. When you encounter this type of question, identify each pronoun and trace it back to the noun it replaces, then check if they agree. Choice B demonstrates correct agreement: "The orchestra tuned its instruments." The singular noun "orchestra" (a collective noun referring to one group) correctly pairs with the singular pronoun "its." Choice A contains a common error: "Each of the buses completed their route." The subject is "each," which is always singular, but "their" is plural. The correct pronoun would be "its." Don't be fooled by "buses" in the prepositional phrase—it's not the true subject. Choice C shows another agreement mistake: "Several of the hikers left his water bottle." "Several" is plural and refers to multiple hikers, so the pronoun should be "their," not the singular "his." Choice D creates an error with compound subjects: "Neither of the dogs would eat its dinner." While "neither" seems singular, when used with "of the dogs," it implies both dogs individually, so "their" would be more appropriate. Additionally, "neither" typically pairs with "nor" constructions for clarity. Remember this strategy: always identify the true subject of the sentence, determine if it's singular or plural, then ensure the pronoun matches. Watch out for indefinite pronouns like "each," "everyone," and "neither"—they often appear plural but are grammatically singular.

Question 16

Choose the sentence that contains a vague pronoun reference causing agreement confusion.

  1. The cat chased its shadow around the room.
  2. The twins told their coach that they would be late.
  3. After the storm, the trees lost their leaves early.
  4. When Maria handed Ana her backpack, she thanked her politely. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter questions about vague pronoun reference, you need to identify pronouns that could reasonably refer to multiple nouns, creating confusion about who or what is performing the action. In sentence D, "When Maria handed Ana her backpack, she thanked her politely," the pronouns create serious confusion. The word "her" in "her backpack" could refer to either Maria's or Ana's backpack. More problematically, "she thanked her" is completely ambiguous—we can't tell if Maria is thanking Ana or if Ana is thanking Maria. Both interpretations are grammatically possible, making this a classic case of vague pronoun reference. Let's examine why the other options work clearly: In choice A, "its" clearly refers back to "the cat"—there's only one possible antecedent. Choice B uses "their" to refer to "the twins" and "they" also refers to the same twins, maintaining clear agreement throughout. In choice C, "their" unambiguously refers to "the trees." The key difference is that sentences A, B, and C each contain pronouns with only one logical antecedent, while sentence D contains multiple pronouns that could refer to either person mentioned. Strategy tip: When checking for vague pronoun references, ask yourself "Who exactly is doing what?" for each pronoun in the sentence. If you can't definitively answer that question, or if multiple interpretations seem equally valid, you've likely found a vague pronoun reference problem.

Question 17

In which sentence is the pronoun in the objective case used correctly?

  1. Sarah and me plan to audition for the spring play together.
  2. Grandma baked cookies for my brother and me yesterday. (correct answer)
  3. Us students finished the lab before the bell rang.
  4. Mom and him are painting the garage this weekend.
Explanation: This question tests your understanding of pronoun case - specifically when to use objective case pronouns like "me," "us," and "him" versus subjective case pronouns like "I," "we," and "he." The key principle is that objective case pronouns are used when the pronoun receives the action or is the object of a preposition. In choice B, "Grandma baked cookies for my brother and me yesterday," the pronoun "me" correctly serves as the object of the preposition "for." You can test this by removing the other person: "Grandma baked cookies for me" sounds right, while "Grandma baked cookies for I" would be wrong. Choice A incorrectly uses "me" in the subject position. Since Sarah and the speaker are performing the action of planning, it should be "Sarah and I plan to audition." Choice C makes the same error with "Us students finished the lab" - since the students are doing the finishing, it should be "We students finished the lab." Choice D incorrectly uses the objective "him" in the subject position where "he" belongs: "Mom and he are painting the garage." When you encounter compound subjects or objects (phrases with "and"), try the isolation test: remove the other person and see which pronoun sounds correct alone. If you're performing an action, use subjective pronouns (I, we, he, she). If you're receiving an action or following a preposition, use objective pronouns (me, us, him, her). This simple test will help you avoid the most common pronoun case errors.

Question 18

Which option best completes the sentence using correct pronoun agreement?

"Neither the speaker nor the panelists offered   notes to the reporter."

  1. his or her
  2. their (correct answer)
  3. its
  4. our
Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions involving "neither...nor" constructions, you need to identify what the pronoun refers to and apply the correct agreement rule. In this sentence, the pronoun must refer back to "neither the speaker nor the panelists." With "neither...nor" constructions, the pronoun agrees with the noun closest to the verb—in this case, "panelists." Since "panelists" is plural, you need a plural pronoun. Additionally, modern English increasingly accepts "their" as a gender-neutral option when referring to groups of mixed or unknown gender. Therefore, "their" (B) is correct. Let's examine why the other options don't work. Option A ("his or her") is singular, but it needs to agree with the plural "panelists" that sits closest to the verb. While "his or her" might seem logical for avoiding gender assumptions, it creates a number disagreement. Option C ("its") is used for non-human objects or animals, not people, making it inappropriate for referring to speakers and panelists. Option D ("our") would incorrectly include the writer and reader in the group of people who might offer notes, but the sentence is about third parties (the speaker and panelists), not the writer's group. Remember this pattern: in "neither...nor" constructions, the pronoun agrees with the closest noun. When that noun is plural and refers to people, "their" is your best choice, especially when gender is unknown or the group is mixed.

Question 19

Which sentence shows an error in possessive pronoun agreement?

  1. The rabbits found their burrow under the old shed.
  2. Everybody must present his or her ticket before entering.
  3. Some of the fruit lost its freshness in the heat.
  4. Several of the essays lost its original formatting during printing. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you encounter possessive pronoun questions, focus on matching the pronoun to its antecedent in both number (singular/plural) and person. The pronoun must agree with what it's referring back to. Let's examine each option carefully. In choice A, "The rabbits found their burrow," the plural pronoun "their" correctly matches the plural antecedent "rabbits." Choice B uses "Everybody must present his or her ticket," which is correct because "everybody" is grammatically singular, so it takes the singular pronouns "his or her." Choice C states "Some of the fruit lost its freshness," which works because "fruit" is being treated as a mass noun (singular), so "its" is appropriate. Choice D contains the error: "Several of the essays lost its original formatting." Here's the problem—"several" indicates multiple essays (plural), but "its" is a singular possessive pronoun. The sentence creates a mismatch between the plural subject "several of the essays" and the singular pronoun "its." The correct version would be "Several of the essays lost their original formatting." Choice A correctly matches plural to plural. Choice B follows the rule that indefinite pronouns like "everybody" are singular. Choice C treats "fruit" as a mass noun requiring singular agreement. Remember this key strategy: always identify the specific noun the possessive pronoun refers to, determine whether it's singular or plural, then check if the pronoun matches. Pay special attention to phrases beginning with "several," "many," "some," or "few"—these often signal plural antecedents requiring plural pronouns.

Question 20

Select the sentence with an incorrect reflexive pronoun.

  1. Selena taught herself to play the ukulele over the summer.
  2. The cubs followed the mother bear, who protected them from danger.
  3. Between you and myself, the test was easier than expected. (correct answer)
  4. The children amused themselves with board games during the storm.
Explanation: Reflexive pronouns are words like "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "ourselves," and "themselves" that refer back to the subject of the sentence. They're used when the subject and object of an action are the same person or thing, or for emphasis. The key error to watch for is using a reflexive pronoun when a regular pronoun should be used instead. In option C, "Between you and myself" is incorrect because "myself" doesn't refer back to the subject of the sentence. The correct phrase should be "Between you and me," using the objective pronoun "me." This is a common mistake people make when they think "myself" sounds more formal or proper. Let's examine each choice: Option A correctly uses "herself" because Selena is both the subject (the one teaching) and the object (the one being taught). Option B doesn't contain a reflexive pronoun at all—"them" is a regular pronoun referring to the cubs. Option D correctly uses "themselves" because the children are both performing and receiving the action of amusing. The phrase "between you and me" is always correct in standard English because both pronouns are objects of the preposition "between." Never use "myself" in this construction unless you are also the subject of the sentence performing an action on yourself. Remember: reflexive pronouns must have a clear subject in the same sentence to reflect back to. If you can't identify what the reflexive pronoun refers back to, it's probably being used incorrectly.