Standard English Primary 5 Comprehension

Read the passage and answer the question.\n\nPassage:\nMr Tan was a strict but fair teacher. He always returned marked scripts on time and explained every mistake patiently. His students respected him greatly because he never gave up on any of them, even when they struggled with difficult topics.\n\nWhat does the word 'them' in the last sentence refer to?

A Mr Tan's students
B difficult topics
C marked scripts
D mistakes
Show Worked Solution

Worked Solution

Step 1: Find the pronoun 'them' in the passage.\nThe sentence is: 'he never gave up on any of them, even when they struggled with difficult topics.'\n\nStep 2: Look back for a plural noun that makes sense as the referent.\nThe most recent plural noun referring to people is 'His students' (from the previous clause).\n\nStep 3: Verify with the pronoun 'they' in the same sentence.\n'They struggled' — students can struggle, which confirms the referent is 'Mr Tan's students'.\n\nAnswer: 'Them' refers to Mr Tan's students.

Correct answer: Mr Tan's students

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