Question 18

Somebody left his or her jacket on the train.

This sentence is grammatically correct as it uses the singular pronoun "his or her" to refer to the indefinite pronoun "somebody," ensuring proper agreement in number and gender.

A) Somebody left his or her jacket on the train.

This option is correct because it appropriately matches the singular indefinite pronoun "somebody" with the singular possessive pronoun "his or her." This construction is standard in English grammar, reflecting both clarity and agreement.

B) Several lost his keys on this train ride.

This sentence is incorrect because the plural subject "several" does not agree with the singular pronoun "his." A correct version would use "their" instead of "his" to reflect the plural nature of "several."

C) Does everyone have their train ticket ready?

While commonly used in informal contexts, this sentence is considered grammatically incorrect in formal writing because "everyone" is a singular pronoun. A more formal structure would require "his or her" instead of "their."

D) Is everyone ready for his ice cream sundaes?

This option is incorrect as it uses the singular pronoun "his" with the plural noun "sundaes." A correct grammatical structure would involve matching the pronoun to the plural nature of the subject, such as using "his or her" with a singular noun.

Conclusion

Option A stands out as the only grammatically correct sentence, effectively demonstrating proper subject-pronoun agreement. All other options fail to maintain agreement between subjects and pronouns, either by mismatching singular and plural forms or by using informal constructions that are less accepted in formal English.