Multiple choice

Directions: This question presents a sentence, all or part of which is underlined. Beneath the sentence you will find five ways of phrasing the underlined part. The first of these repeats the original; the other four are different. If you think the original is best, choose the first answer; otherwise choose one of the others.

The third distinctive note of this generation of writers is their dogma of impartiality.

  1. this generation of writers is their dogma

  2. this generation of writers is its dogma

  3. this generation is its dogma

  4. this generation of writers is his dogma

  5. this generation is his dogma
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Explanation for (1): The sentence bears the error of pronoun agreement. The subject in this case is singular 'generation', so the possessive should be 'its'.

Justification for (2): This option rectifies the error of pronoun agreement. The subject in this case is singular 'generation', so the possessive should be 'its'.

Explanation for (3): This option rectifies the error of pronoun agreement but changes the meaning of the original sentence by deleting 'writers'.
Explanation for (4): This option compounds the error of pronoun agreement by replacing 'their' with 'his'. Explanation for (5): This option makes so many changes as to make the sentence incomprehensible.

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