Which pronoun should be used: "The director was very pleased because every one of the actresses knows (her, their) lines by heart?"

Prepare for the USTET English Test with interactive quizzes, featuring flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Detailed hints and explanations are included to help you excel.

In this sentence, the correct pronoun to use is "her." The phrase "every one of the actresses" refers specifically to individual actresses, which is a feminine plural noun in this context. When referring to a singular subject that is implicitly feminine, the pronoun "her" is appropriate.

Using "her" effectively maintains agreement with "every one," which is treated as a singular subject despite referring to a group. Additionally, "her" emphasizes each actress individually, aligning with the intent of the sentence.

While the option "their" can sometimes be used as a singular gender-neutral pronoun, it is less precise in this context because the focus is on individual actresses, and using "her" clearly denotes their gender. The other pronouns, such as "his" and "its," are not appropriate as they either assume a different gender or do not apply to living beings in the context of the sentence.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy