Usage Exam updated actual questions and
CORRECT answers
1. Prep phrase or other words do not affect s-v agreement. A list of honors students was (not
were) posted in the hall.
2. Indefinite pronouns are (mostly) singular. Neither of the books is (not are) worth reading.
3. In correlative constructions (either . . . or, etc.) the verb agrees with the part of the subject
closest to the verb. Not only the deans but also the president was present. Not only the
president but also the deans were present.
4. In there is/are sentences, and in inverted sentences, find the subject. On the wall there were
(not was) several posters.
5. The verb agrees with the subject, not the subject complement. His main source of pleasure
is radio and television. BUT: Radio and television are his main sources of pleasure.
Consensus: Follow the rules in writing, but not important in speech. - CORRECT
ANSWER Subject-verb agreement (long)
Debate: Does our use of pronouns and other gendered words reflect societal biases toward
those genders? Should language be used so that it either does not distinguish gender or does
not favor one over another?
Traditional rule: Yes to both questions. Language users need to be very careful about not
sounding sexist.
1. Generic "he": Before the Feminist Movement of the 60s and 70s the so-called generic "he"
was used to refer to both male and female. These feminists fought for more inclusive
language use. Since then we have developed several options for fixing the following
sentence:
Each participant thought that he was treated fairly
1. He or she: Each participant thought that he or she was treated fairly. (can be cumbersome).
2. They: Each participant thought that they were treated fairly.
3. Pluralize: The participants thought that they were treated fairly.
4. Reshape: None of the participants felt mistreated.
, 2. - CORRECT ANSWER Sexist language (long)
The name of a group, singular in form but plural in implication.
Debate: Do collective nouns take singular verb or plural verb?
American: Usually default to the singular. More specific: Use a singular verb and a singular
pronoun with a collective noun when the group is thought of as a single unit, and a plural
verb and pronoun when the group is thought of as a number of individuals.
The class was (not were) electing a new president.
The party lost their (not its) hats.
The crowd were (not was) waving their (not its) programs. - CORRECT
ANSWER Collective nouns (short)
Debate: What do we do with "h" words in 1 and 2 syllable words and with multi-syllable
words?
Traditional Rule:
The use of a or an depends on the initial sound, not the initial letter, of the word following it:
A + consonant sound—a dog a utopian a horse
An + vowel sound—an order an ear an hour
With "h" sounds with 1 and 2 syllable words, it depends whether the "h" is sounded (a horse)
or not (an hour).
Multi-syllable words:
In American editing, we assume the "h" is sounded and we use "a" with multi-syllable words
when the "h" is unstressed: a Hispanic, a hysterical, a Hawaiian. In speech, usage is divided.
Either one is acceptable depending on how the word is said, whether the "h" is sounded or
not.
Writing: a hysterical
Speech: Divided usage—If the "h" is sounded "a hysterical." If the "h" is not sounded, "an
hysterical" (how a Cockney speaker would say it).
Exception: A or An historical?
Mary bought a history bo - CORRECT ANSWER A, an (short)
CORRECT answers
1. Prep phrase or other words do not affect s-v agreement. A list of honors students was (not
were) posted in the hall.
2. Indefinite pronouns are (mostly) singular. Neither of the books is (not are) worth reading.
3. In correlative constructions (either . . . or, etc.) the verb agrees with the part of the subject
closest to the verb. Not only the deans but also the president was present. Not only the
president but also the deans were present.
4. In there is/are sentences, and in inverted sentences, find the subject. On the wall there were
(not was) several posters.
5. The verb agrees with the subject, not the subject complement. His main source of pleasure
is radio and television. BUT: Radio and television are his main sources of pleasure.
Consensus: Follow the rules in writing, but not important in speech. - CORRECT
ANSWER Subject-verb agreement (long)
Debate: Does our use of pronouns and other gendered words reflect societal biases toward
those genders? Should language be used so that it either does not distinguish gender or does
not favor one over another?
Traditional rule: Yes to both questions. Language users need to be very careful about not
sounding sexist.
1. Generic "he": Before the Feminist Movement of the 60s and 70s the so-called generic "he"
was used to refer to both male and female. These feminists fought for more inclusive
language use. Since then we have developed several options for fixing the following
sentence:
Each participant thought that he was treated fairly
1. He or she: Each participant thought that he or she was treated fairly. (can be cumbersome).
2. They: Each participant thought that they were treated fairly.
3. Pluralize: The participants thought that they were treated fairly.
4. Reshape: None of the participants felt mistreated.
, 2. - CORRECT ANSWER Sexist language (long)
The name of a group, singular in form but plural in implication.
Debate: Do collective nouns take singular verb or plural verb?
American: Usually default to the singular. More specific: Use a singular verb and a singular
pronoun with a collective noun when the group is thought of as a single unit, and a plural
verb and pronoun when the group is thought of as a number of individuals.
The class was (not were) electing a new president.
The party lost their (not its) hats.
The crowd were (not was) waving their (not its) programs. - CORRECT
ANSWER Collective nouns (short)
Debate: What do we do with "h" words in 1 and 2 syllable words and with multi-syllable
words?
Traditional Rule:
The use of a or an depends on the initial sound, not the initial letter, of the word following it:
A + consonant sound—a dog a utopian a horse
An + vowel sound—an order an ear an hour
With "h" sounds with 1 and 2 syllable words, it depends whether the "h" is sounded (a horse)
or not (an hour).
Multi-syllable words:
In American editing, we assume the "h" is sounded and we use "a" with multi-syllable words
when the "h" is unstressed: a Hispanic, a hysterical, a Hawaiian. In speech, usage is divided.
Either one is acceptable depending on how the word is said, whether the "h" is sounded or
not.
Writing: a hysterical
Speech: Divided usage—If the "h" is sounded "a hysterical." If the "h" is not sounded, "an
hysterical" (how a Cockney speaker would say it).
Exception: A or An historical?
Mary bought a history bo - CORRECT ANSWER A, an (short)
