GED Language Arts Rla Quiz: Correct Pronoun Usage

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Correct Pronoun Usage, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for GED Language Arts Rla.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

Question 1

1. Either the main actor or the supporting actors will miss their cue. (correct answer)
2. Either the main actor or the supporting actors will miss his cue.
3. Either the main actor or the supporting actors will miss his or her cue.
4. Either the main actor or the supporting actors will miss there cue.

Explanation: This question tests subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement in sentences with compound subjects joined by "either...or." When you encounter these constructions, you need to apply specific grammar rules that many students find tricky. The correct answer is A because it properly handles both agreement issues. With "either...or" constructions, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it - here, "supporting actors" (plural) requires "will miss" (which works for both singular and plural). For the pronoun, "their" correctly refers back to the plural "supporting actors," which is the nearest antecedent and determines the pronoun choice. Let's examine why the other options fail: Option B uses "his," which incorrectly assumes a masculine singular pronoun when the nearest subject is "supporting actors" (plural). Option C attempts "his or her," but this is unnecessarily awkward since we're dealing with a plural subject that simply needs "their." Option D contains a fundamental error - "there" is completely wrong here, as it's a location word rather than a possessive pronoun. The key insight is that in "either...or" constructions, both the verb and any subsequent pronouns should agree with the subject positioned closest to them. Since "supporting actors" is plural and comes after "or," it governs the agreement rules for the entire sentence. Remember this pattern: in "either...or" sentences, let the second subject (the one after "or") determine your verb and pronoun choices. This rule will help you avoid the most common traps in these agreement questions.

Question 2

1. The committee needs to decide who they should nominate.
2. The committee needs to decide whose they should nominate.
3. The committee needs to decide whom they should nominate. (correct answer)
4. The committee needs to decide whomever they should nominate.

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of when to use "who" versus "whom" in a sentence. The key is determining whether the pronoun functions as the subject or object of the verb. To decide between "who" and "whom," look at how the pronoun functions in its own clause. In the phrase "who/whom they should nominate," the pronoun serves as the direct object of the verb "nominate" — the committee is nominating someone. Since "whom" is the objective form of the pronoun (like "him" or "her"), it's the correct choice here. You can test this by rephrasing: "they should nominate him" sounds right, while "they should nominate he" doesn't. Choice A uses "who," which is the subjective form (like "he" or "she"). This would be correct if the pronoun were the subject, such as in "who should nominate them," but here it's the object being nominated. Choice B, "whose," is a possessive pronoun indicating ownership, like "whose car" or "whose idea." It doesn't make sense in this context since we're not talking about possession. Choice D, "whomever," might seem tempting since it's also objective, but "whomever" is used differently — typically after prepositions or in more complex constructions. "Whom" is the standard choice for direct objects like this. Remember this simple test: if you can substitute "him/her" in the pronoun's position and it sounds natural, use "whom." If "he/she" fits better, use "who."

Question 3

1. If a person wants to succeed in this field, they must be willing to learn continuously.
2. If a person wants to succeed in this field, it must be willing to learn continuously.
3. If a person wants to succeed in this field, you must be willing to learn continuously.
4. If a person wants to succeed in this field, he or she must be willing to learn continuously. (correct answer)

Explanation: This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement, a fundamental grammar rule that requires pronouns to match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. When you encounter sentences with pronouns, always identify what noun the pronoun refers back to and check if they agree. The correct answer is D because "he or she" properly refers back to the singular noun "a person." Since "person" is singular and could refer to either gender, the traditional formal solution is to use "he or she" to maintain both grammatical correctness and inclusivity. Let's examine why the other options fail: Option A creates a pronoun-antecedent disagreement because "they" is plural while "a person" is singular. Though this usage is increasingly common in casual speech, it remains grammatically incorrect in formal writing contexts like the GED. Option B incorrectly uses "it" to refer to a person, which is inappropriate since "it" refers to objects or animals, not people. Option C shifts from third person ("a person") to second person ("you"), creating an inconsistent point of view within the same sentence. For GED success, remember that formal writing still requires strict pronoun-antecedent agreement. When you see singular nouns like "person," "student," or "worker," look for singular pronouns in the answer choices. While "they" as a singular pronoun is gaining acceptance in modern usage, standardized tests typically expect traditional grammatical rules, so "he or she" remains the safest choice for singular gender-neutral references.

Question 4

1. It said on the news report that a storm is approaching.
2. The news report said that a storm is approaching. (correct answer)
3. A storm is approaching, it said on the news report.
4. According to what it said on the news, a storm is approaching.

Explanation: When you encounter a question about vague pronouns, focus on identifying what the pronoun refers to and whether that reference is clear to readers. A vague pronoun creates confusion because it's unclear what noun the pronoun is replacing. In the original sentence, "it" is vague because there's no clear noun for it to reference. The pronoun "it" appears to refer to "the news report," but grammatically, it's floating without a proper antecedent, making the sentence awkward and unclear. Choice B correctly eliminates the vague pronoun by making "The news report" the subject of the sentence. This creates a clear, direct statement where the subject performs the action of saying something. The sentence flows naturally and leaves no doubt about what is doing the "saying." Choice A simply moves the vague pronoun "it" to the beginning, but doesn't solve the fundamental problem—"it" still lacks a clear antecedent. Choice C compounds the issue by creating a comma splice (incorrectly joining two independent clauses with just a comma) while keeping the vague "it" at the end. Choice D attempts to fix the problem with "According to what it said" but still contains the problematic vague pronoun "it." When you see pronoun questions on the GED, always ask yourself: "What specific noun does this pronoun replace?" If you can't point to a clear answer, look for the revision that either provides a clear antecedent or eliminates the pronoun entirely by using the actual noun instead.

Question 5

1. The supervisor assigned the new task to me and my colleague. (correct answer)
2. The supervisor assigned the new task to my colleague and myself.
3. The supervisor assigned the new task to my colleague and I.
4. I and my colleague were assigned the new task by the supervisor.

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of pronoun case, specifically when to use "I" versus "me" in compound objects. When you encounter pronouns paired with other nouns after prepositions like "to," you need to determine which pronoun form is grammatically correct. The key is recognizing that "my colleague and I" serves as the object of the preposition "to." Objects always require the objective case pronoun "me," not the subjective case "I." You can test this by removing the other person from the sentence: "The supervisor assigned the new task to me" sounds correct, while "The supervisor assigned the new task to I" clearly sounds wrong. Answer choice A correctly uses "me and my colleague," placing both words in the proper objective case. The order "me and my colleague" is also more courteous than "my colleague and me," following the convention of putting others before yourself. Answer choice B uses "myself," which is incorrect because reflexive pronouns like "myself" should only be used when the subject and object refer to the same person, or for emphasis. Answer choice C repeats the original error by using "I" instead of "me" as the object of the preposition. Answer choice D, while grammatically correct, unnecessarily changes the sentence to passive voice, making it wordier and less direct than the original active construction. Study tip: When checking pronoun case in compound phrases, temporarily remove the other person from the sentence. This makes it easier to hear whether "I" or "me" sounds correct in context.

Question 6

1. The community center offers free computer classes for seniors. (correct answer)
2. Free computer classes for seniors are offered by them at the community center.
3. They offer free computer classes for seniors at the community center.
4. For seniors, they offer free computer classes at the community center.

Explanation: When you encounter questions about pronoun reference, you're being tested on clarity and precision in writing. A vague pronoun is one where the reader can't easily identify what the pronoun refers to. In this sentence, "they" doesn't have a clear antecedent—there's no specific group of people mentioned that "they" could logically refer to. The best revision eliminates the vague pronoun entirely by making the community center itself the subject of the sentence. Choice A does exactly this: "The community center offers free computer classes for seniors." This creates a clear, direct sentence where the subject (community center) performs the action (offers classes). The meaning is immediately obvious to any reader. Looking at the incorrect choices: Choice B simply replaces "they" with "them," which is still vague—"them" has the same reference problem as "they." Choice C keeps the original vague "they" and only moves the location phrase, so the pronoun issue remains completely unresolved. Choice D also preserves the problematic "they" while rearranging the sentence structure, making it both vague and awkward. For pronoun questions on the GED, always ask yourself: "What specific noun does this pronoun refer back to?" If you can't point to a clear antecedent in the sentence or immediate context, look for the revision that either provides a clear antecedent or eliminates the vague pronoun altogether. The clearest writing often uses specific nouns rather than pronouns when there's any chance of confusion.

Question 7

1. The company updated its security policy, and this caused confusion.
2. This policy update from the company caused confusion among employees.
3. The company's security policy update caused confusion among employees. (correct answer)
4. There was confusion among employees because of this.

Explanation: When you encounter pronoun reference questions, you're looking for clarity about what each pronoun refers to. Vague pronouns like "this" or "it" can confuse readers when they could refer to multiple things or when their antecedent isn't clear. In the original sentences, "this" in the second sentence creates confusion because it's unclear what exactly caused the confusion—was it the update itself, the policy, or something else about the situation? Answer choice C eliminates the vague pronoun entirely by combining the sentences and clearly stating what caused the confusion: "The company's security policy update." This revision is direct, clear, and leaves no ambiguity about what led to employee confusion. Looking at the wrong answers: Choice A simply moves "this" into the same sentence but doesn't fix the vague reference—"this" still lacks a clear antecedent. Choice B improves clarity somewhat by specifying "policy update," but the phrase "This policy update" still begins with a vague pronoun reference. Choice D actually makes the problem worse by using both "There was" (which creates wordiness) and "this" without any clear reference to what "this" means. When you see pronoun reference questions on the GED, look for the revision that either provides a clear antecedent for the pronoun or eliminates the vague pronoun altogether by restating the specific noun or concept. The clearest writing often avoids potentially confusing pronouns by being more specific with word choice.

Question 8

1. Several of the committee members expressed their concerns about the budget. (correct answer)
2. Several of the committee members expressed his concern about the budget.
3. Several of the committee members expressed its concern about the budget.
4. Several of the committee members expressed it's concerns about the budget.

Explanation: This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement, a fundamental grammar rule where pronouns must match their antecedents in number, gender, and person. When you encounter sentences with pronouns, always identify what noun the pronoun refers to and check if they agree. The correct answer is A because "several of the committee members" is a plural subject referring to multiple people. The pronoun must be plural ("their") and the noun should also be plural ("concerns") to properly match the plural subject. Let's examine why the other options fail: Option B is the original sentence with a clear error—"his" is singular, but it refers to "several...members," which is plural. This creates a mismatch. Option C uses "its," which refers to things rather than people, making it inappropriate for committee members who are people. Option D contains two errors: "it's" is a contraction meaning "it is" rather than the possessive pronoun needed here, and like option C, "it" incorrectly treats the people as objects rather than individuals. Pay special attention to phrases beginning with "several," "many," "few," or "some"—these signal plural subjects that require plural pronouns. Also watch for the difference between "its" (possessive) and "it's" (contraction), and remember that "its" should only refer to things, not people. When proofreading, always trace each pronoun back to its antecedent to ensure they match in number and appropriateness.

Question 9

1. Whom did the company choose for the promotion? (correct answer)
2. Who did the company choose for the promotion?
3. Whoever did the company choose for the promotion?
4. Whose did the company choose for the promotion?

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of when to use "who" versus "whom" in formal writing. The key is determining whether the pronoun functions as a subject or an object in the sentence. To decide between "who" and "whom," rearrange the question into a statement and see what role the pronoun plays. "The company chose [someone] for the promotion." Since "someone" receives the action of being chosen, it's the direct object of the verb "chose." When a pronoun serves as an object (direct object, indirect object, or object of a preposition), you must use "whom" in formal writing. Choice A is correct because "whom" properly functions as the direct object in this sentence. The formal revision requires this objective case pronoun. Choice B keeps the original "who," which is actually the subjective case. While this might sound natural in casual conversation, it's grammatically incorrect in formal writing since the pronoun serves as the object, not the subject. Choice C uses "whoever," which is completely inappropriate here. "Whoever" means "any person who" and would create a nonsensical meaning: "Any person who did the company choose for the promotion?" Choice D uses "whose," the possessive form of "who." This creates an incomplete and meaningless sentence since "whose" indicates ownership and requires a noun to follow it. Study tip: When choosing between "who" and "whom," substitute "he/him" or "she/her" in the rearranged statement. If "him" or "her" fits, use "whom." If "he" or "she" fits, use "who."

Question 10

1. Michael told his uncle about the delay of his flight.
2. Michael's flight was delayed, and he told his uncle.
3. Michael said to his uncle, "My flight is delayed." (correct answer)
4. His flight was delayed, Michael told his uncle.

Explanation: When you encounter sentences with unclear pronoun references, you need to identify which nouns the pronouns could reasonably refer to, creating confusion for readers. In this sentence, "his" appears twice but could refer to either Michael or his uncle, making it ambiguous whose flight was delayed. The correct answer is C because it eliminates ambiguity by using direct quotation with first-person pronouns. When Michael says "My flight is delayed," there's no confusion about whose flight is being discussed—the speaker (Michael) clearly identifies himself as the owner of the delayed flight. Let's examine why the other options fail. Choice A still contains the problematic pronoun "his" in "his flight," so the ambiguity remains—we still don't know definitively whether it's Michael's or his uncle's flight. Choice B improves clarity somewhat by establishing that Michael's flight was delayed first, but the sentence structure is awkward and less direct than the correct answer. Choice D simply rearranges the original sentence without addressing the pronoun ambiguity—"his flight" still creates the same confusion about ownership. When you see questions about ambiguous pronouns on the GED, look for revisions that either replace pronouns with specific nouns or use direct quotation to clarify the speaker's perspective. Direct quotes with first-person pronouns ("I," "my," "me") are often the clearest way to eliminate pronoun confusion because they establish a clear speaker-subject relationship.

Question 11

1. He won the election, which can be explained by his being a great public speaker.
2. The candidate was a great public speaker, and this is why he won the election.
3. The candidate was a great public speaker, a skill that helped him win the election. (correct answer)
4. Because he was a great public speaker, it helped him win the election.

Explanation: Pronoun reference questions test whether pronouns clearly point to specific nouns. When pronouns like "which," "this," or "it" could refer to multiple things or entire ideas, the sentence becomes vague and confusing. In the original sentence, "which" creates ambiguity because it could refer to either "speaker" or the entire concept of being a great public speaker. The best revision eliminates this vague pronoun entirely while maintaining the logical connection between the candidate's speaking ability and electoral success. Choice C correctly removes the problematic pronoun by restructuring the sentence with an appositive phrase: "a skill that helped him win the election." Here, "skill" clearly refers to public speaking, and "that" unambiguously points to "skill." This creates a clear, direct relationship without any confusing pronoun references. Choice A simply rearranges the same vague "which" reference. The pronoun still doesn't clearly point to a specific noun, making this revision equally problematic as the original. Choice B replaces "which" with "this," but "this" is just as vague since it refers to the entire previous clause rather than a specific noun. Demonstrative pronouns like "this" often create the same reference problems as relative pronouns. Choice D introduces a new error with "it." The pronoun "it" has no clear antecedent in the sentence, creating an even more confusing construction where the subject of "helped" is unclear. When you encounter pronoun reference questions, look for revisions that either replace vague pronouns with specific nouns or restructure sentences to eliminate ambiguous pronoun references entirely.

Question 12

1. Neither the players nor the coach remembered to bring his or her playbook. (correct answer)
2. Neither the players nor the coach remembered to bring their playbook.
3. Neither the players nor the coach remembered to bring its playbook.
4. Neither the players nor the coach remembered to bring them playbook.

Explanation: When you encounter sentences with "neither...nor" constructions, you're dealing with a pronoun-antecedent agreement issue that requires careful attention to both number and gender considerations. The key challenge here is that "neither the players nor the coach" creates a compound subject where one part is plural (players) and the other is singular (coach). In English grammar, when you have a "neither...nor" construction with mixed singular and plural subjects, the pronoun should agree with the subject closest to it. Since "coach" (singular) comes after "players" (plural), the pronoun should be singular. Choice A correctly uses "his or her" because it provides a singular pronoun that accounts for the fact that a coach could be male or female. This properly agrees with "coach," the nearest and controlling subject. Choice B keeps "their," which is plural and incorrectly agrees with "players" rather than the closer subject "coach." While "their" might seem logical since it refers to both parties, grammar rules require agreement with the nearest subject. Choice C uses "its," which is incorrect because "its" refers to things, not people. Coaches and players are people, so you need personal pronouns. Choice D uses "them," which is not a possessive pronoun at all. "Them" is an object pronoun, but you need a possessive form to show ownership of the playbook. Remember: with "neither...nor" constructions, make your pronoun agree with whichever subject comes last, and always use "his or her" for singular references when gender is unknown.

Question 13

1. Everybody should remember to turn in their assignment before leaving.
2. Everybody should remember to turn in them assignments before leaving.
3. Everybody should remember to turn in his or her assignment before leaving. (correct answer)
4. Everybody should remember to turn in there assignment before leaving.

Explanation: This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement in formal writing, specifically how to handle indefinite pronouns like "everybody." In formal writing, you need to ensure that pronouns match their antecedents in both number and gender appropriateness. The correct answer is C because "everybody" is grammatically singular, even though it refers to multiple people. In formal writing, singular indefinite pronouns like "everybody," "everyone," "somebody," and "anyone" should be paired with singular pronouns. Since we don't know the gender of the people being referenced, "his or her" is the traditional formal solution that maintains grammatical correctness while being inclusive. Looking at the wrong answers: A uses "their" with "everybody," which creates a number disagreement (singular antecedent with plural pronoun). While this usage is increasingly accepted in casual speech and even some formal contexts, traditional formal writing still requires the singular pairing. B contains "them assignments," which is nonstandard English—"them" cannot modify a noun like an adjective. D uses "there," which is completely incorrect since "there" indicates location, not possession; you need a possessive pronoun here. For the GED, remember that formal writing questions typically test traditional grammar rules rather than evolving casual usage. When you see indefinite pronouns like "everybody" or "someone," look for singular pronoun matches. If gender is unknown, "his or her" is the safest formal choice, though be aware that "their" is gaining acceptance in modern writing.

Question 14

1. Each of the new employees must submit their paperwork by Friday.
2. Each of the new employees must submit its paperwork by Friday.
3. Each of the new employees must submit them paperwork by Friday.
4. Each of the new employees must submit his or her paperwork by Friday. (correct answer)

Explanation: This question tests subject-pronoun agreement, specifically when dealing with indefinite pronouns like "each." When you encounter sentences beginning with "each of," pay close attention to whether the subject is singular or plural, as this determines the correct pronoun. The subject here is "each," which is always singular, even when followed by a plural noun like "employees." Since "each" refers to individual people considered one at a time, you need a singular pronoun that can refer to people of any gender. Choice D is correct because "his or her" provides a singular pronoun that appropriately refers back to the singular subject "each" while acknowledging that the employees could be of any gender. This maintains proper grammatical agreement. Choice A repeats the original error by using "their," a plural pronoun, with the singular subject "each." While "their" is increasingly accepted in informal speech as a gender-neutral option, traditional grammar rules still require singular pronouns with singular subjects on standardized tests. Choice B uses "its," which is grammatically singular but refers to things, not people. Using "its" to refer to employees is inappropriate and dehumanizing. Choice C uses "them," which is not only plural (creating the same agreement error as choice A) but also uses the wrong form entirely—"them" is an object pronoun, not a possessive pronoun needed before "paperwork." Remember: indefinite pronouns like "each," "everyone," "someone," and "anybody" are always singular and require singular pronouns, even when they logically refer to multiple people.

Question 15

1. Him and his brother started a successful catering business.
2. His brother and him started a successful catering business.
3. He and his brother started a successful catering business. (correct answer)
4. Himself and his brother started a successful catering business.

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of subject pronouns versus object pronouns, a common area of confusion in formal writing. When you encounter pronouns used as the subject of a sentence, you need to determine which form is grammatically correct. The key is identifying that "him and his brother" serves as the subject of the sentence - they are performing the action of starting a business. Subject pronouns (I, he, she, we, they) are used when the pronoun is doing the action, while object pronouns (me, him, her, us, them) are used when the pronoun is receiving the action. Since these pronouns are the ones starting the business, you need the subject form "he." Answer C is correct because "He and his brother started a successful catering business" uses the proper subject pronoun "he." This follows standard grammar rules for compound subjects. Answer A is wrong because "him" is an object pronoun, not a subject pronoun. You wouldn't say "Him started a business" by itself. Answer B makes the same error - simply switching the order doesn't fix the pronoun case problem. "Him" is still incorrect as a subject. Answer D uses "himself," which is a reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns are only used when the subject is performing an action on itself, which isn't the case here. Here's a helpful test: remove the other person from the sentence and see if it sounds right. "Him started a business" sounds wrong, but "He started a business" sounds correct. This simple trick will help you choose the right pronoun form every time.

Question 16

1. The jury has reached their verdict and will present it shortly.
2. The jury have reached their verdict and will present it shortly.
3. The jury has reached there verdict and will present it shortly.
4. The jury has reached its verdict and will present it shortly. (correct answer)

Explanation: This question tests pronoun-antecedent agreement, specifically with collective nouns. When you encounter sentences with groups like "jury," "team," or "committee," you need to determine whether the group is acting as a single unit or as separate individuals. The correct answer is D because "jury" functions as a collective noun representing one unified group. In American English, collective nouns typically take singular pronouns when the group acts together as a single entity. Since the jury reached "a verdict" (not multiple verdicts), they're clearly acting as one cohesive unit. Therefore, the singular possessive pronoun "its" correctly refers back to the singular collective noun "jury." Looking at the wrong answers: A contains a pronoun disagreement error – "jury" (singular collective noun) paired with "their" (plural pronoun). While some collective nouns can take plural pronouns when emphasizing individual members, this context shows unified group action. B compounds this error by also making the verb plural ("have" instead of "has"), creating subject-verb disagreement. C uses the wrong word entirely – "there" is an adverb indicating location, not the possessive pronoun "their" or "its." Remember this strategy: When you see collective nouns on the GED, ask yourself whether the group is acting as one unit or as individuals. Look for context clues like "a verdict" (singular outcome) versus "different opinions" (individual actions). In most cases involving unified group decisions or actions, treat the collective noun as singular and use singular pronouns like "its."

Question 17

1. The scholarship is for whomever writes the most compelling essay.
2. The scholarship is for them that writes the most compelling essay.
3. The scholarship is for who writes the most compelling essay.
4. The scholarship is for whoever writes the most compelling essay. (correct answer)

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of when to use "whoever" versus "whomever" — a common source of confusion because many people think "whomever" always sounds more formal or correct. The key is determining whether you need a subject or object pronoun. Look at the clause "writes the most compelling essay." This clause needs a subject — someone who performs the action of writing. "Whoever" is the subject form (like "he" or "she"), while "whomever" is the object form (like "him" or "her"). You can test this by substituting: "He writes the most compelling essay" works, but "Him writes the most compelling essay" doesn't. Don't be fooled by the preposition "for" at the beginning. While prepositions typically take object pronouns, here "for" introduces an entire noun clause, and within that clause, you need "whoever" as the subject. Choice A keeps the original error — "whomever" incorrectly used as a subject. Choice B creates a grammatical disaster with "them that writes," mixing plural "them" with singular "writes." Choice C uses "who," which is technically the subject form, but it creates an incomplete construction that doesn't work grammatically in this context. Choice D correctly uses "whoever" as the subject of the clause. Remember this test: if you can substitute "he/she" in the clause, use "whoever." If "him/her" fits better, use "whomever." Don't let prepositions earlier in the sentence trick you into automatically choosing "whomever."

Question 18

1. The lead scientist and the project manager will give his final report on Monday.
2. The lead scientist and the project manager will give their final report on Monday. (correct answer)
3. The lead scientist and the project manager will give her final report on Monday.
4. The lead scientist and the project manager will give its final report on Monday.

Explanation: When you encounter pronoun agreement questions, you need to identify what the pronoun refers to and ensure they match in number (singular or plural). In this sentence, the pronoun "his" refers back to "the lead scientist and the project manager." When two subjects are joined by "and," they create a compound subject that is plural and requires a plural pronoun. Since we have two people giving a report together, the correct pronoun is "their." Option B correctly uses "their" to match the plural compound subject. This makes logical sense—two people are collaborating on one shared report. Option A keeps the original error, using the singular "his" with a plural subject. This is grammatically incorrect because the pronoun doesn't agree in number with what it references. Option C substitutes "her" for "his," but this still creates the same agreement error—a singular pronoun with a plural subject. The gender change doesn't fix the fundamental number disagreement. Option D uses "its," which is wrong for two reasons: first, it's singular when you need plural, and second, "its" refers to things or animals, not people. Study tip: When you see compound subjects joined by "and," they're almost always plural and need plural pronouns like "their," "they," or "them." Watch out for this pattern—it's a common trap where test makers hope you'll focus on the closest noun rather than recognizing the full compound subject.

Question 19

1. The new intern is more familiar with the software than me.
2. The new intern is more familiar with the software than I. (correct answer)
3. The new intern is more familiar with the software than myself.
4. The new intern is more familiar with the software than mine.

Explanation: This question tests your understanding of pronoun case in comparisons, specifically when words are implied but not stated. When you encounter comparison sentences with "than" or "as," you need to determine which pronoun case fits the complete grammatical structure. The key is recognizing that this sentence has an implied verb at the end. The complete thought is "The new intern is more familiar with the software than I [am]." Since the pronoun serves as the subject of this implied verb "am," you need the subjective case pronoun "I," making choice B correct. Choice A uses "me," which is the objective case. This would only be correct if the pronoun were receiving the action, but here it's the subject of the implied verb "am familiar with the software." Choice C uses "myself," a reflexive pronoun that should only appear when the subject is performing an action on themselves (like "I taught myself"). It doesn't belong in comparisons like this. Choice D uses "mine," a possessive pronoun that shows ownership. This creates a nonsensical comparison between a person and something that belongs to you. Study tip: When you see comparison sentences with "than" or "as," mentally complete the sentence by adding the implied words at the end. If you can say "than I am" or "than I do," use "I." If you can say "than me" naturally without needing additional words, use "me." This completion test will guide you to the correct pronoun case every time.

Question 20

1. The customer who I spoke with was very polite.
2. The man whom lives next door is a firefighter.
3. Give the files to whoever is at the front desk. (correct answer)
4. I don't know who the team chose as captain.

Explanation: When you encounter pronoun questions on the GED, you need to determine whether to use subjective pronouns (who, whoever) or objective pronouns (whom, whomever) based on the pronoun's function in its own clause. The correct answer is C because "whoever" serves as the subject of the clause "whoever is at the front desk." Since "whoever" performs the action "is," you need the subjective form. The entire clause "whoever is at the front desk" acts as the object of the preposition "to," but within that clause, "whoever" is the subject. Let's examine why the other options are incorrect. Choice A uses "who" incorrectly because it should be "whom" – the pronoun is the object of the preposition "with" in "I spoke with [whom]." Choice B incorrectly uses "whom" when it should be "who" because the pronoun is the subject of the clause "who lives next door," performing the action of living. Choice D uses "who" incorrectly because it should be "whom" – the pronoun is the direct object in "the team chose [whom] as captain." Here's a reliable strategy: substitute "he/she" or "him/her" into the clause. If "he" or "she" sounds right, use "who" or "whoever." If "him" or "her" sounds right, use "whom" or "whomever." For example, in choice C, you'd say "he is at the front desk" (not "him is"), confirming that "whoever" is correct.