Cheng Dang and her colleagues at the University of Washington recently ran simulations to determine the extent to which
individual snow ______ affect the amount of light reﬂecting off a snowy surface.
grain’s physical properties’
grains’ physical properties
grains’ physical property’s
grains physical properties
Choice B is the best answer. The convention being tested is the use of plural and possessive nouns. The plural possessive
noun “grains’” and the plural noun “properties” correctly indicate that the simulations involved multiple snow grains and that
those snow grains had several properties.
Choice A is incorrect because the context requires the plural possessive noun “grains’” and the plural noun “properties,” not
the singular possessive noun “grain’s” and the plural possessive noun “properties’.” Choice C is incorrect because the context
requires the plural noun “properties,” not the singular possessive noun “property’s.” Choice D is incorrect because the context
requires the plural possessive noun “grains’,” not the plural noun “grains.”