Whose rule is right? Settle disputed usage
Grade 11 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Usage note (written by PencilGo), split infinitives
A split infinitive puts a word between to and its verb (to carefully check). Older handbooks forbade it. The Chicago Manual of Style has accepted it for decades when it reads more clearly. A few formal readers still object, so a writer for them may recast the sentence when the meaning stays the same. Decision: An editor for a general-interest magazine keeps this sentence: The plan is to slowly widen the trail over ten years.
Zee reviews an editor's decision against the note. Which comment on the decision matches the note?
- Unfair: to and its verb must stay side by side, so the editor should move slowly.
- Fair, because magazine editors can set usage notes aside; what guides say does not matter.
- Fair: no guide or reader objects to split infinitives anymore, so no one could complain.
- Fair: Chicago accepts the split when it reads clearly, and the objectors the note names are formal readers.
What the references say (summarized by PencilGo)
APA Style: data takes a plural verb. AP style: singular for general readers, plural in science writing. Dictionaries: both uses are standard.
Ren checks four draft usage notes against the references. Which note is accurate?
- APA treats data as singular; AP treats it as plural for general readers. Follow your guide.
- Data is plural, so treating it as singular is an error in any publication.
- APA treats data as plural; AP treats it as singular for general readers. Follow your guide.
- Data is singular now, and no guide asks writers to treat it as plural.
Usage note (written by PencilGo), who and whom
Whom is the object form (the coach whom we thanked); who is the subject form (the coach who thanked us). In speech and casual writing, who often replaces whom, and dictionaries note this. Formal writing keeps whom as an object. Whom as a subject (the coach whom thanked us) is an error in any register. Audience: a formal program. Draft: The guide who led the tour thanked the author who the club invited.
Noah edits a formal program. Which revision changes just the form the note says a formal reader would object to?
- The guide who led the tour thanked the author who the club invited.
- The guide whom led the tour thanked the author whom the club invited.
- The guide who led the tour thanked the author whom the club invited.
- The guide whom led the tour thanked the author who the club invited.
What the references say (summarized by PencilGo)
APA Style: accepts singular they for a person whose gender is unknown. The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition): accepts it in speech and informal writing; advises recasting in formal writing.
Milo compares four draft notes with the references. Which note is accurate?
- Singular they draws no objection from any guide, in formal or informal writing.
- APA accepts singular they; Chicago (17th edition) accepts it informally but advises recasting in formal writing.
- Singular they is an error, so formal and informal writers both avoid it.
- Chicago (17th edition) accepts singular they in formal writing; APA advises recasting it.
Usage note (written by PencilGo), data
Data began as the plural of datum. APA Style treats data as plural (the data are). AP style treats it as singular for general readers and plural in science writing. Follow your publication's guide and stay consistent. Decision: An editor at a journal that follows APA Style changes "The data shows" to "The data show."
Luz reviews a journal editor's change against the note. Which comment on the change matches the note?
- Fair: APA Style treats data as plural, and this journal follows APA.
- Fair: guides agree that data is plural, so "data shows" is wrong in any publication.
- Unfair: AP style uses data as singular for general readers, so the editor should keep shows.
- Fair: data can be nothing but plural, since it comes from Latin.
Use this
Usage notes (written by PencilGo). Whose with things (a tree whose leaves): accepted; standard in any register. Usage note (written by PencilGo), comprise: Traditionally, the whole comprises its parts (The club comprises four teams). Is comprised of is common, and dictionaries record it, but many usage guides object to it. In formal writing, use comprises or is composed of. Comprises of is an error. Audience: a formal county guide. Draft: The oak whose branches shade the trail is a century old. The trail is comprised of three loops.
Kira edits a formal county guide using both notes. Which revision changes just what a formal reader would object to?
- The oak whose branches shade the trail is a century old. The trail is comprised of three loops.
- The oak of which the branches shade the trail is a century old. The trail comprises three loops.
- The oak whose branches shade the trail is a century old. The trail comprises three loops.
- The oak of which the branches shade the trail is a century old. The trail is comprised of three loops.
What the references say (summarized by PencilGo)
AP Stylebook: accepted hopefully for "it is hoped" in 2012. Dictionaries: record that use as standard. Some careful readers: still object to it.
Jun checks four draft notes on hopefully against the references. Which note is accurate?
- Hopefully means "in a hopeful way," and using it for "it is hoped" is a plain error.
- Hopefully for "it is hoped" is accepted by AP and dictionaries, and no reader objects to it now.
- Some careful readers accepted hopefully for "it is hoped" in 2012, though AP still objects.
- Hopefully for "it is hoped" is accepted by AP and dictionaries, though some careful readers still object.
Usage note (written by PencilGo), over and more than
Over for "more than" with numbers (over 300 runners) was long criticized. The AP Stylebook dropped its objection in 2014, and dictionaries treat the use as standard. Some formal readers still prefer "more than." Decision: An editor at a general newspaper that follows AP style keeps this sentence: Over 300 runners entered the race.
Esme reviews a newspaper editor's decision against the note. Which comment on it matches the note?
- Unfair: over describes a position, as in over the bridge, so it cannot mean more than.
- Unfair: some formal readers prefer "more than," so this newspaper should switch for them.
- Fair: AP dropped its objection in 2014, and this paper follows AP.
- Fair: no reader of any kind prefers "more than" to "over" these days.
Use this
Usage notes (written by PencilGo). Beginning a sentence with And or But: accepted; current guides, including The Chicago Manual of Style, allow it. Irregardless: dictionaries label it nonstandard; edited writing uses regardless. Audience: a formal fair notice. Draft: The vote passed. And irregardless of the weather, the fair opens Saturday.
Bo edits a formal fair notice using both notes. Which revision changes just what a formal reader would object to?
- The vote passed. And regardless of the weather, the fair opens Saturday.
- The vote passed. Irregardless of the weather, the fair opens Saturday.
- The vote passed. And irregardless of the weather, the fair opens Saturday.
- The vote passed. Regardless of the weather, the fair opens Saturday.
What the references say (summarized by PencilGo)
Traditional rule: fewer with count nouns, less with amounts. Dictionaries: record less with plural nouns over many centuries; less is standard with distances, money and time. Many editors: still expect fewer with countable items.
Ari checks four draft notes on fewer and less against the references. Which note is accurate?
- Less is traditional with count nouns; fewer is recorded with them too, but many editors expect less in print.
- Less with a plural noun is an error, so less than five miles is wrong too.
- Fewer is traditional with count nouns; less is recorded with them too, but many editors expect fewer.
- Less and fewer are interchangeable now, and editors have no preference between them.