In a recent analysis of lyrical trends in 350,000 songs, researchers cite increases in certain measures, such as the ratio...

Let's begin by understanding the meaning of this sentence. We'll use our understanding of pause points and segment the sentence as shown - understanding and assimilating the meaning of each segment bit by bit!

Sentence Structure

Sentence 1:

• In a recent analysis of lyrical trends in 350,000 songs,
• researchers cite increases in certain measures, such as the ratio of choruses to verses,
• as evidence music lyrics are becoming more repetitive.

Sentence 2:

• For instance,
• from 1970 to 2020,
• (?) chorus-to-verse ratios trended similarly, with each genre's data indicating that relative to the number of unique verses, the number of repeated choruses in songs increased.

Understanding the Meaning

The first sentence sets up the context:

• Researchers analyzed 350,000 songs
• They found evidence that music lyrics are becoming more repetitive
  • One measure they used: the ratio of choruses to verses

Now the second sentence gives a specific example:

• "For instance, from 1970 to 2020..."

This is where we have the blank, followed by "chorus-to-verse ratios trended similarly."

Let's look at the choices:

• A: "rocks and raps" (no apostrophes)
• B: "rock's and rap's" (both have apostrophes)
• C: "rocks and rap's" (only the second has an apostrophe)
• D: "rock and rap's" (only the second has an apostrophe)

To see what works here, let's read the rest of the sentence and understand what it's telling us!

The sentence continues:

• "with each genre's data indicating that relative to the number of unique verses, the number of repeated choruses in songs increased."

Now let's understand what this is really saying:

• The phrase "each genre's data" is crucial
  • This tells us we're talking about different music genres
  • And data that belongs to each genre

• So the blank must be talking about which genres are being compared
  • Specifically, their chorus-to-verse ratios

• The complete picture is:
  • Rock's chorus-to-verse ratios and rap's chorus-to-verse ratios both trended similarly from 1970 to 2020
  • Both genres showed the same pattern - more repeated choruses relative to unique verses

What do we notice about the structure here?

• The ratios BELONG TO the genres
  • We're talking about rock's ratios and rap's ratios
  • The chorus-to-verse ratios are possessed by/associated with these genres

• When something belongs to or is associated with something else, we need the possessive form
  • That means apostrophe + s

• Since we're talking about BOTH rock and rap having their own ratios, BOTH need to be possessive

So we need: rock's and rap's - Choice B is correct.

GRAMMAR CONCEPT APPLIED

Using Possessive Forms to Show Belonging or Association

When you want to show that something belongs to or is associated with something else, you use the possessive form (called a possessive in grammar terms), created by adding apostrophe + s:

Pattern: Possessor's + thing possessed

Examples:

• The genre's characteristics = the characteristics that belong to the genre
• Rock's influence and jazz's complexity = the influence belonging to rock AND the complexity belonging to jazz
• Note: When you have two items in a list that both possess something, BOTH need possessive forms

How this applies to our question:

• We're talking about chorus-to-verse ratios that belong to rock AND ratios that belong to rap
• Both genres possess/have their own ratios
• Therefore: rock's chorus-to-verse ratios and rap's chorus-to-verse ratios
• Both need apostrophe + s to show this possession

Key point: When listing multiple possessors (rock and rap), each one needs its own possessive form if they each possess the item separately.