A pronoun question tests whether you can find the noun a pronoun stands for. Sort the choices into forms for one person or thing and forms for more than one. With a verb after the blank, ask who or what the verb is about and find the noun it stands for. One person or thing takes a singular pronoun; more than one takes a plural pronoun. The nearest noun may belong to a different part of the sentence.
Hints
- Hint 1
Read the sentence through the words after the blank. Who is meant to answer visitors’ questions?
- Hint 2
Once you’ve found the noun the blank stands for, check whether it names one or more than one. Use that number to test the pronouns.
Step-by-step
Find the noun and match its number
Step 1Sort by number
Start by sorting the pronouns into forms for one person or thing and forms for more than one. In so ______ can answer, the missing pronoun tells us who answers the questions. To choose its number, we need the noun it stands for, so let’s find who the sentence says will answer.
- Step 2
Find who answers
Who reads the schedule to prepare for visitors’ questions? The staff members do, so the pronoun points back to those people. The nearby day's schedule is what the members review, not who answers visitors. The noun members is plural, so we’re talking about more than one person.
- Step 3
Match the plural noun
A plural noun needs a plural pronoun. She names one female person, it names one thing, and one refers to a single person or people in general. The plural pronoun they refers back to the members and fits before can answer. Choice D.