SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
The Swedish Academy, the institution that selects the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, usually announces ______ decision in early October. The prize itself is presented in Stockholm each December.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
their
they're
it's
its
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
The pronoun refers to "The Swedish Academy," a single institution, so a singular possessive pronoun is needed. "Its" is the possessive form; "it's" means "it is." "Their" is plural, and "they're" means "they are."
Choice A is tempting because an academy is made up of many people, but the antecedent is a single institution and takes "its."
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