Which sentences contain an example of contested usage? Select the two correct answers.

Stephanie started reading the book first, and therefore she finished it before I did.
The union members and the factory owner struck a deal in order to end the strike.
And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn’t play on the football team
anymore.
The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table.
The postman needs to know to whom this letter is addressed so that it can be delivered.

2 answers

correct answers

And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn’t play on the football team
anymore.
The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table.

Thank you for the clarification. Here are the correct answers:

And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn’t play on the football team anymore.

The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table.

The contested usage examples are:

1. Stephanie started reading the book first, and therefore she finished it before I did.
4. The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table.

To identify which sentences contain an example of contested usage, we need to understand what contested usage means. Contested usage refers to grammar or language usage that is disputed, debated, or considered incorrect by some people or language authorities.

Let's analyze each sentence:

1. "Stephanie started reading the book first, and therefore she finished it before I did."
This sentence does not contain an example of contested usage. It follows standard grammar and usage.

2. "The union members and the factory owner struck a deal in order to end the strike."
This sentence does not contain an example of contested usage either. It is grammatically correct and clear.

3. "And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn’t play on the football team anymore."
This sentence contains an example of contested usage. The use of "And" at the beginning of a sentence is often considered incorrect or inappropriate by some language authorities.

4. "The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table."
This sentence does not contain an example of contested usage. It is grammatically correct and clear.

5. "The postman needs to know to whom this letter is addressed so that it can be delivered."
This sentence contains an example of contested usage. The use of "to whom" instead of "who" is seen as formal and old-fashioned by some, while others consider it more correct or appropriate in certain contexts.

Based on this analysis, the two sentences that contain an example of contested usage are:
- "And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn’t play on the football team anymore."
- "The postman needs to know to whom this letter is addressed so that it can be delivered."

The postman needs to know to whom this letter is addressed so that it can be delivered

The postman needs to know to whom this letter is addressed so that it can be delivered.

The chair of the board of directors sits in the chair at the head of the board table.