SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
The cheetah is the fastest land animal on Earth, built for short bursts of speed rather than long chases. Over short distances, ______ top speed can exceed 100 kilometers per hour.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
A
it's
B
its
C
their
D
its'
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The top speed belongs to the cheetah, a singular noun, so the singular possessive pronoun "its" is needed. "It's" means "it is," and "its'" is not a word.
Choice A is the contraction for "it is," not the possessive "its."
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