WAEC 2024 English Language · Question 98

One has to be careful of … friends.

Question

From the words or group of words lettered A-D, choose the word or group of words that best completes each of the following sentences. One has to be careful of ____ friends.

A.his
B.their
C.your
D.one's

Answer: D. one's

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The sentence begins with the indefinite pronoun "One": "One has to be careful of ____ friends." We need the possessive word that agrees with "one."

Concept: Pronoun agreement. When a sentence starts with the impersonal pronoun "one," the possessive that follows should normally be one's to keep the sentence consistent. (Formal British English, the standard for WASSCE, prefers "one... one's.")

Step-by-step solution:

A. his: This is acceptable in some American usage ("One must do his best"), but it assumes the person is male and is not the best fit for WASSCE English.
B. their: This does not agree with the singular "one" in formal usage.
C. your: This shifts from the impersonal "one" to the second person "you," which breaks consistency.
D. one's: This agrees with "one" and keeps the sentence consistent and formal.

Correct sentence: "One has to be careful of one's friends."

Answer: D. one's

Exam tip: If a sentence begins with "One," look for one's (or "oneself") later in the sentence. Remember: one → one's, just like he → his and they → their.

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