Try the following questions. Choose the correct word from the choices in parentheses.
Underline your selection.
Q. Marybelle sewed (their/there/they’re) lips shut because the little brats refused to keep
quiet.
A. their. The sentence expresses possession, so you want the first choice. The second there
is location, and the third means they are. If you plug they are into the sentence, you’re not
making any sense.
36. George and Josh need watches because (their/there/they’re) always late.
37. George found a watch that keeps atomic time, but (its/it’s) too expensive.
38. Josh, playing with the atomic watch, broke (its/it’s) band.
39. I notice that (your/you’re) band is broken also.
40. “(Whose/Who’s) watch is this?” Josh asked innocently.
41. “(Your/You’re) sure that (its/it’s) not Jessica’s?” asked George.
42. “Put it over (their/there/they’re) and pretend you never touched it,” said George.
43. “I can’t lie,” whispered Josh. “(Their/There/They’re) security cameras caught me.”
44. (Its/It’s) impossible for Josh to lie anyway because he is totally honest.
45. “(Your/You’re) honor demands only the truth,” sighed George.
46. (Whose/Who’s) going to pay for the watch, you may wonder, Josh or George?
47. (Your/You’re) wrong; Josh isn’t willing to pay the full cost.
48. (Their/There/They’re) funds are limited, so each will probably pay half the cost of a new
watch band.
49. George, (whose/who’s) ideas of right and wrong are somewhat fuzzy, asked Rachel
whether she would contribute to (their/there/they’re) “charity campaign for underprivileged
watches.”
50. Rachel replied, “(Your/You’re) joking!”
51. “(Whose/Who’s) going to help my watch?” she added.
52. “I don’t think (its/it’s) battery has ever been changed,” continued Rachel.
53. (Its/It’s) slowing down, according to Rachel, as the battery begins to die.
54. George told Rachel, “(Your/You’re) battery is crucial and should be changed or recharged
regularly.”
55. “Who thinks about batteries?” commented Jessica. “(Their/There/They’re) easy to
overlook.”
Chapter 3: Who Is She, and What Is It? The Lowdown on Pronouns 39