Question 143·Medium·Form, Structure, and Sense
During the panel discussion, each of the authors shared _____ latest work and answered questions from the audience.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For pronoun agreement questions, first locate the noun (antecedent) that the pronoun refers to, then decide whether that noun is singular or plural and whether it refers to a person, thing, or group. Next, eliminate any pronoun choices that do not match in number or type (for example, plural pronouns with singular subjects, or non-human pronouns for people). Finally, check that the pronoun fits the sentence’s formality and meaning, especially with words like "each," "everyone," or "anyone," which are grammatically singular even when they refer to more than one possible person.
Hints
Find the pronoun’s noun
Ask yourself: Which word in the sentence does the missing pronoun refer to? Focus on the phrase "each of the authors."
Check singular vs. plural
Is the word "each" treated as singular or plural in formal English grammar? Your pronoun must match this choice in number.
Match meaning and formality
Look at the answer choices and think: Which option is a possessive pronoun that correctly refers to individual people (the authors) in a formal sentence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the pronoun refers to
Look at the noun phrase that the missing pronoun will refer to: "each of the authors shared ____ latest work." The pronoun in the blank refers to the work that belongs to each author.
Decide if the pronoun should be singular or plural
Grammatically, the subject here is "each," not "authors." Even though "authors" is plural, "each" is considered singular in standard written English. That means the pronoun referring back to "each" must also be singular and possessive (showing ownership of the "latest work"). It also needs to refer to people (the authors), not things.
Compare the answer choices to the grammar needs
Check each choice:
- "their" is a plural possessive pronoun, which does not agree in number with the singular word "each" in formal SAT-style writing.
- "one's" is a possessive pronoun that goes with the indefinite pronoun "one," not with "each of the authors."
- "its" is a singular possessive pronoun used for things or animals, not for individual people. The only choice that is singular, possessive, and appropriate for referring to an individual author of any gender is "his or her", so that is the correct answer.