<p>Prized for their rarity, gourmets will spend a small fortune on wild truffles rather than settle for common mushrooms.</p>
<p>CORRECT ANSWER FROM BOOK: Prized for their rarity, wild truffles command a small fortune among gourmets unwilling to settle for common mushrooms.</p>
<p>Is there an error? Shouldn't the "their" be "its"? Or is there some rule that I don't know?</p>
<p>I thought you would use "its" if you said "the wild truffle."</p>
<p>That way, the truffle is singular.</p>
<p>However, the sentence says "truffle*s*." So, it is a plural. So, you must use "their."</p>
<p>i know... i think i got confused because "their" is possessive. thats why i think that "their" should be changed to "its" because it modifies "wild truffles"</p>
<p>yea i kno for sure the answer is its modifying the truffles</p>
<p>the original results in an awkward modification of gourmets rather than truffles; the problem tests your noticing of the dangling modifier if you want to call it that.</p>
<p>Wait, Iildimsum7. If "their" refers to "wild truffles," why do you think it should be changed to "its"? </p>
<p>"Its" is a singular possessive. It should be used with singular antecedents: "The wild truffle kept <em>its</em> flavor," for example.</p>
<p>"Their" is a plural possessive. It should be used with plural antecedents: "The wild truffles kept <em>their</em> flavor."</p>
<p>Replace the unusual word "truffles" with its more common synonym "mushrooms" and the rule is even more obvious. We would never write "the mushrooms kept its flavor." We wouldn't say, "Prized for its rarity, the mushrooms cost a small fortune," either. We'd say, "Prized for their rarity, the mushrooms cost a small fortune." The rule is the same even when you substitute more difficult synonyms like "truffles" (instead of mushroom) and "command" (instead of cost). So the College Board answer is correct.</p>
<p>Does that clarify the question?</p>