CCE Word Usage and Diction Questions and Answers Flashcards

Which is the preferred editorial treatment for the commonly confused pair 'principal' and 'principle'?

Answer: 'Principal' is a noun/adjective (main, chief, school head); 'principle' is a noun (fundamental rule or belief).

'Principal' means main or primary (and can be a noun for a school head or main party), while 'principle' refers only to a fundamental rule or belief.

An author writes 'the criteria is met.' What should the copyeditor do?

Answer: Change to 'the criteria are met' because 'criteria' is the plural of 'criterion.'

In edited American English, 'criteria' remains plural; 'criterion' is the singular form, so the verb must be plural ('are').

Which sentence uses 'who' versus 'whom' correctly?

Answer: To whom should I address the letter?

'Whom' functions as an object (here, the object of the preposition 'to'), just as 'him' would in a substitution test.

A text uses 'reticent' to mean 'reluctant.' What should the copyeditor flag?

Answer: 'Reticent' means reluctant to speak, not reluctant in general; suggest 'reluctant' if a broader meaning is intended.

Traditional usage limits 'reticent' to reluctance to speak or reveal information; using it for general reluctance is considered an error by careful editors.

Which sentence demonstrates correct use of 'nauseous' versus 'nauseated'?

Answer: She felt nauseated after the long boat ride.

Traditional usage holds that 'nauseous' means causing nausea, while 'nauseated' means experiencing nausea, though many style guides now accept both constructions.

A copyeditor encounters 'the book that he authored was a bestseller.' What diction issue should be flagged?

Answer: 'Authored' is considered a verb by some style guides but is flagged as jargon or unnecessary; 'wrote' is preferred.

Many editors prefer 'wrote' over 'authored' because the latter is seen as an unnecessary back-formation; 'wrote' is cleaner and universally accepted.