Question 89·Medium·Form, Structure, and Sense
Although many critics feared that the new scheduling policy would limit flexibility for employees, the company has asserted that ______ will actually increase both morale and productivity.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For pronoun questions in SAT Reading & Writing, first identify the antecedent—the noun the pronoun refers to—then check that the pronoun matches it in number (singular/plural) and person (thing vs. person) and fits the grammar role (subject, object, or possessive) in the sentence. Quickly eliminate any choices that are plural when the antecedent is singular, or that are possessive when a subject is needed, then plug the remaining option into the sentence to confirm it reads smoothly and keeps the intended meaning.
Hints
Locate the noun the blank replaces
Look back earlier in the sentence and decide which specific noun phrase the company is talking about in the second half of the sentence.
Check singular vs. plural
Ask yourself: is that noun phrase referring to one thing or more than one thing? Eliminate any pronoun choice that does not match that number.
Think about the pronoun’s job in the clause
In the part "that ______ will actually increase both morale and productivity," what grammatical job does the word in the blank do—subject, object, or showing possession? Match the pronoun type to that job.
Test each remaining option in the sentence
Read the sentence out loud (or in your head) with each remaining choice in the blank and eliminate any that sound ungrammatical or change the meaning away from the scheduling policy.
Step-by-step Explanation
Find what the blank refers to
Read the sentence and ask: What is the company saying will increase morale and productivity? The company is asserting something about the new scheduling policy mentioned earlier. So the word in the blank must stand for "the new scheduling policy."
Decide on number (singular vs. plural)
"The new scheduling policy" is one policy, so it is singular. That means we need a singular pronoun, not a plural one. Eliminate any choices that clearly refer to more than one thing (plural).
Check pronoun type and grammar role
In the clause "that ______ will actually increase both morale and productivity," the blank is the subject of the verb "will increase." So we need a subject pronoun (like "he," "she," or another subject form), not a possessive word (like "his" or "their") and not a demonstrative that doesn’t match the noun in number or form.
Choose the pronoun that fits in number, form, and meaning
Among the choices, only "it" is a singular subject pronoun that can correctly replace "the new scheduling policy" and serve as the subject of "will actually increase both morale and productivity." So the correct answer is B) it.