Another pronoun example
Last updated: 13 Oct 2008
Now try a more difficult example.
Last week the hapless Keatsway Corporation., beleaguered by various consumer lawsuits, decided to end production of their experimental pacemaker.
- decided to end production of their experimental pacemaker.
- decided to end production of its experimental pacemaker.
- has decided to end production of its experimental pacemaker.
- has decided to end production of their experimental pacemaker.
- have decided to end production of their experimental pacemaker.
Try this question yourself before reading the explanation below.
Explanation
Again you can tell that this is a pronoun problem because of the changes. This time their changes to its in the answers.
The Keatsway Corporation is one entity, and therefore it takes an "it", not a "they" or "their".
That eliminates A, D, and E which all have their in the answer.
This leaves just B and C.
There is a problem with C because it uses "has decided" for something that occurred last week, and finished last week. It is not something that is continuing into the present.
B is thus the best answer.
