An apostrophe question tests whether nouns name more than one thing or show ownership. When more than one noun changes, test each noun on its own and read past the blank. Ask whether it owns the thing named next by flipping the nouns with of between them. If it owns nothing, use no apostrophe; if it owns something, count the owners. One owner takes ’s, while several owners ending in s take an apostrophe after the s.
Hints
- Hint 1
The blank sits between “a series of” and “athletes.” Read the whole phrase, asking what follows each noun in the blank.
- Hint 2
Use “the U.S. women’s gymnastics team” to check who the athletes belong to and how many owners there are.
Step-by-step
Test ownership, then count
Step 1Test the first noun
The words a series of tell us the documentary has several interviews, so start by testing that noun for ownership. What comes after it? In every choice, the words after with name the people being interviewed, not something an interview owns. The noun is a plain plural, meaning more than one without ownership, so it should be interviews. Set aside interview’s with the team and interview’s with the teams, because both give that noun an apostrophe it doesn't need.
- Step 2
Read past the blank
What follows the noun at the end of the blank? The word athletes sits outside the choices, but it's still part of the phrase we need to test. With the of test, the athletes of the team says what the sentence means, because these athletes belong to that team. So this noun shows ownership and needs an apostrophe. We still have to count the owners to decide where the apostrophe goes.
- Step 3
Count the owners
The passage names the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, so how many teams own the athletes? The athletes belong to one team, and one owner takes ’s. The form teams’ would mean several teams, so it uses the wrong number of owners. That calls for team’s, giving us interviews with the team’s. Choice D.