What this lesson covers
- its = belongs to it · it's = it is (always)
- collective nouns (team, company, committee, jury, group) are singular on the SAT, so they take its
- a pronoun must point to exactly one noun
Chapters
- 0:00A free point most students miss
- 0:22Pronoun and antecedent
- 1:02Worked example: its vs it's
- 1:44The method and the collective-noun trap
- 2:30Your turn
- 3:16Three traps
- 3:54Recap
Lesson transcript
The narration of the video, word for word, under its chapter headings.
0:00A free point most students miss
This is one of the easiest SAT writing points to grab, and one of the easiest to give away. A pronoun, one little word like it, its, or their, has to agree with the noun it stands for. Get the match wrong, or leave it unclear, and a free point is gone.
0:22Pronoun and antecedent
Every pronoun is a stand-in. It points back to a noun, called its antecedent. Two things have to be true. First, they must match in number: a singular noun takes a singular pronoun, a plural noun takes a plural one. Second, the reference has to be clear, pointing to exactly one noun. So on every pronoun question, your first move is simple: find the antecedent.
1:02Worked example: its vs it's
Look at this. The museum reopened last spring, and blank new exhibit drew record crowds. The antecedent is the museum, and a museum is singular. So the pronoun must be singular and show possession. Its, no apostrophe. Now the trap choices fall. It's, with an apostrophe, means it is, that's a contraction, not possession. Their is plural, but a museum is one thing. They're means they are. The answer is its.
1:44The method and the collective-noun trap
Here's the method for any pronoun question. One: find the antecedent, the noun the pronoun replaces. Two: match the number, singular or plural. Three, the big SAT trap: collective nouns. A team, a company, a committee, a jury, they name a group, but on the SAT they count as singular. The company raised its prices, not their prices. And never confuse its with it's. Its shows possession. It's only ever means it is.
2:30Your turn
Your turn. The orchestra tuned blank instruments before the concert began. What replaces the blank? First, the antecedent: the orchestra. Is that singular or plural? An orchestra is a collective noun, a group treated as one, so it's singular. That kills their and they're. Now, possession without a contraction: its, no apostrophe. Not it's, which means it is. The answer is its. Same move every time.
3:16Three traps
Three traps to know. One: its versus it's. It's with an apostrophe always means it is. Possession is its, no apostrophe. Two: collective nouns. Team, company, jury, group, all singular on the SAT, so they take its, not their. Three: an unclear pronoun. If she, it, or they could point to two different nouns, the sentence is wrong until it names just one.
3:54Recap
So, three steps: find the antecedent, match the number, keep the reference clear. Watch collective nouns, and never mix up its and it's. It's a free point once you see the pattern. Start free and drill a set at satclimb.com. Keep climbing.
Read the written version: the Form, Structure, and Sense strategy guide, then try 25 hard Form, Structure, and Sense questions with full explanations. Both are free, no account needed.