Choose the correct possessive pronoun to complete the sentence: An author and an editor can spend weeks, even months, reviewing a manuscript and exchanging comments before giving ____ approval for publication.

Choose the correct possessive pronoun to complete the sentence: An author and an editor can spend weeks, even months, reviewing a manuscript and exchanging comments before giving ____ approval for publication.

• A. Their
• B. There
• C. They're
• D. Thier

Answer: (A)

When a sentence refers to more than one person, use a plural possessive pronoun. An author and an editor form a compound subject, so what belongs to them should be described with a plural possessive: their approval for publication. "There" is a location word, not possessive; " they're" is a contraction of "they are" and doesn't fit here; and "thier" is simply a misspelling. So the blank should be filled with their.

When a sentence refers to more than one person, use a plural possessive pronoun. An author and an editor form a compound subject, so what belongs to them should be described with a plural possessive: their approval for publication. "There" is a location word, not possessive; " they're" is a contraction of "they are" and doesn't fit here; and "thier" is simply a misspelling. So the blank should be filled with their.