The board of directors expressed _______ disappointment with the financial results.
Correct answer: B. its
- A. their
- B. its
- C. his or her
- D. one's
Explanation
Board is a collective noun acting here as a single body, so the singular possessive its is correct in formal written English. Their would treat the members individually, which is acceptable in British usage but is not what an examination rewards. Consistency matters most: having chosen a singular verb for the collective noun, the pronoun must be singular too.
This question appeared on the UHS MDCAT 2025 paper, which you can sit online with every answer explained.
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About Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement
Pronouns must agree with their antecedents in number, person and, where relevant, gender. Questions cover singular and plural nouns, indefinite pronouns, compound antecedents, collective nouns and singular they, along with unclear references and shifts between first, second and third person.
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