Question 103·Easy·Form, Structure, and Sense
Engineers installed motion sensors in the corridor lights so that, when no movement is detected, the lights dim automatically, reducing energy consumption without requiring anyone to switch _____ off manually.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For pronoun questions, first locate the noun (antecedent) that the pronoun stands for and decide if it is singular or plural, human or non-human. Then choose a pronoun that matches in number and type, and check whether the sentence needs a regular object pronoun (him, her, it, them) or a reflexive one (himself, herself, itself, themselves). Finally, plug each remaining option into the sentence to see which one keeps the meaning clear and grammatically correct.
Hints
Find the noun the blank stands for
Read the whole sentence and ask yourself: What is being switched off manually? Look for the closest logical noun that fits that role.
Check for singular or plural
Once you know what noun the blank refers to, decide if that noun is singular or plural. That will tell you whether you need a singular or plural pronoun.
Think about who is doing the action
In the phrase “requiring anyone to switch _____ off manually,” who is doing the switching, and what is being switched? Use that to decide whether you need a regular object pronoun or a reflexive pronoun (like “itself” or “themselves”).
Test each option in the sentence
Read the sentence with each pronoun option in place. Eliminate any choice that is the wrong number (singular vs. plural) or that makes it sound like the wrong thing is being switched off.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the blank refers to
Look at the noun that the blank stands for. The sentence talks about “motion sensors in the corridor lights” and then mentions “requiring anyone to switch _____ off manually.” The thing being switched off is the lights, so the blank must be a pronoun that replaces “lights.”
Decide on singular vs. plural
Ask: Is “lights” singular or plural? “Lights” ends in -s and refers to more than one light, so it is plural. That means the pronoun must also be plural, not singular.
Decide if the pronoun should be reflexive
The phrase is “requiring anyone to switch _____ off manually.” Here, “anyone” is the person doing the switching, and the blank is the thing being switched off. We are not saying the lights are switching themselves off; we are saying people would have to switch the lights off. So we need a regular object pronoun, not a reflexive pronoun like “itself” or “themselves.”
Match the correct pronoun to “lights”
A plural, non-reflexive object pronoun that can replace “lights” is needed. Among the choices, only “them” is a plural object pronoun that is not reflexive and correctly refers to “lights.” So the best answer is B) them.