Water in the North Atlantic Ocean is pushed eastward by powerful winds, but the rotation of Earth and interference from

Question

Water in the North Atlantic Ocean is pushed eastward by powerful winds, but the rotation of Earth and interference from nearby landmasses together cause blank to swirl into a massive, churning whirlpool—also called the North Atlantic Gyre—that spins clockwise.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Accepted Answer

Choice D is the best answer. The convention being tested is pronoun-antecedent agreement. The singular pronoun "it" agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" and clearly indies that the water swirls into a whirlpool. Choice A is incorrect. The plural pronoun "these" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly indies that the water-not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"-swirls into a whirlpool. Choice B is incorrect. The plural pronoun "those" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly indies that the water-not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"-swirls into a whirlpool. Choice C is incorrect. The plural pronoun "them" neither agrees in number with the singular antecedent "water" nor clearly indies that the water-not another plural noun in the sentence, such as "landmasses" or "winds"-swirls into a whirlpool.

Question water-