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805+ Level|   Comparisons|   Modifiers|   Pronouns|      
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 07 Aug 2022, 05:07
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desertEagle
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making it one of the healthiest widely available fruits on the market.


A. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making it one of the healthiest widely available fruits

B. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making them one of the healthiest fruits that is widely available

C. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than those in almost any other fruit, which makes the acai berry one of the healthiest widely available fruits

D. Because the acai berry’s antioxidants boost immune cell function more effectively than those in almost any other fruit, it is one of the healthiest fruits that is widely available

E. Because the acai berry’s antioxidants boost immune cell function more effectively than the antioxidants found in almost any other fruit, they are one of the healthiest widely available fruits


Acai berry is not a noun.. its in a prepositional phrase.. how can "it" refer to Acai Berry's ... it should refer to antioxidant..
KarishmaB AndrewN Bunuel sajjad @daag
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Hello desertEagle,

We hope this finds you well.

To clarify, there is no reason why a pronoun cannot refer to a noun that is part of a prepositional phrase.

We hope this helps.
All the best!
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 07 Aug 2022, 05:27
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desertEagle
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making it one of the healthiest widely available fruits on the market.


A. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making it one of the healthiest widely available fruits

B. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than almost any other fruit, making them one of the healthiest fruits that is widely available

C. Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berry boost immune cell function more effectively than those in almost any other fruit, which makes the acai berry one of the healthiest widely available fruits

D. Because the acai berry’s antioxidants boost immune cell function more effectively than those in almost any other fruit, it is one of the healthiest fruits that is widely available

E. Because the acai berry’s antioxidants boost immune cell function more effectively than the antioxidants found in almost any other fruit, they are one of the healthiest widely available fruits


Acai berry is not a noun.. its in a prepositional phrase.. how can "it" refer to Acai Berry's ... it should refer to antioxidant..
KarishmaB AndrewN Bunuel sajjad @daag
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If you are referring to option (A), the use of 'it' is not a problem there. There is only one singular noun used before 'it' and that is 'acai berry.' So 'it' does refer to it, even if it is used in the prepositional phrase. We do it routinely.

e.g.
The pages of the book are old and mouldy, suggesting that it was published many years ago.

'it' certainly refers to the book.

It is also ok for a subject/object pronoun to have a possessive antecedent when other options have obvious errors. Pronoun reference is fairly flexible so if the meaning is clear, do not eliminate options based on it.
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 24 Jan 2023, 21:53
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D. Because the acai berry’s antioxidants boost immune cell function more effectively than those in almost any other fruit, it is one of the healthiest fruits that is widely available

In option D, it does not have a referant. Only possessive antioxidants is there. Is this usage correct? Normally, I have seen no referant is an issue in GMAT.
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 29 Jan 2023, 17:28
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TBT

The GMAT doesn't follow that rule about possessives. It's fine to use a non-possessive pronoun to refer back to a possessive noun, as in "Nisha's mother is proud of her."
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 28 Jun 2023, 06:23
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DmitryFarber

I'd to follow up on your last post about using non-possessive pronouns with possessive nouns.

It appears that Manhattan Prep is contradicting itself, as seen in one of its other questions.

MP question:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/agatha-chris ... 81513.html

Official explanation:
This sentence has a pronoun agreement error. Subject and object pronouns cannot refer back to possessive nouns; they must refer only to subject and object nouns. The subject in this sentence is "Agatha Christie's travels," not Agatha Christie herself. The first instance of "her" is correct because this pronoun is used as a possessive: "her [Agatha Christie's] archaeologist husband." However, the second instance of "her," an object pronoun, is incorrect: "inspired her [Agatha Christie, who is not an object in this sentence] to write..."

This (fairly) recent OG question also prohibits mixing non-possessive pronouns and possessive nouns.
https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-north-am ... 40358.html

Has GMAC started to ignore this rule? Am I missing something? Thanks in advance!

Other experts are welcome to weigh in KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep GMATNinja
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 28 Jun 2023, 06:33
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achloes
I'd to follow up on your last post about using non-possessive pronouns with possessive nouns.
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Quote:
Has GMAC started to ignore this rule? Am I missing something? Thanks in advance!
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Many people, including some style guide writers, argue that it doesn't make sense to worry about that "rule" that many of us learned in grade school, and the GMAT seems to agree with them as evidenced by the pronoun reference in the correct answer to this retired question.

https://gmatclub.com/forum/although-she ... 08881.html
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 29 Jun 2023, 02:29
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achloes
DmitryFarber

I'd to follow up on your last post about using non-possessive pronouns with possessive nouns.

It appears that Manhattan Prep is contradicting itself, as seen in one of its other questions.

MP question:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/agatha-chris ... 81513.html

Official explanation:
This sentence has a pronoun agreement error. Subject and object pronouns cannot refer back to possessive nouns; they must refer only to subject and object nouns. The subject in this sentence is "Agatha Christie's travels," not Agatha Christie herself. The first instance of "her" is correct because this pronoun is used as a possessive: "her [Agatha Christie's] archaeologist husband." However, the second instance of "her," an object pronoun, is incorrect: "inspired her [Agatha Christie, who is not an object in this sentence] to write..."

This (fairly) recent OG question also prohibits mixing non-possessive pronouns and possessive nouns.
https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-north-am ... 40358.html

Has GMAC started to ignore this rule? Am I missing something? Thanks in advance!

Other experts are welcome to weigh in KarishmaB MartyTargetTestPrep GMATNinja
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achloes

Keep in mind that it is pointless to evaluate options in isolation. Look for the best one.
So it is ok for a subject/object pronoun to have a possessive antecedent when other options have obvious errors. Pronoun reference is fairly flexible so if the meaning is clear, do not eliminate options based on it. But if there is a better option with clearer antecedents, pick that.
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 29 Jun 2023, 12:25
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achloes

We changed our tune on that so-called rule quite a few years ago, when it became clear that the GMAT was not enforcing it. The current official explanation of the Agatha Christie question does not rely on that issue.
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Recent studies have shown that the antioxidants found in the acai berr 31 Mar 2025, 15:00
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