CCE CCE Word Usage and Diction Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' versus 'less'?

Accepted Answer

He has fewer mistakes than before.

Answer

'Fewer' is used with countable nouns (mistakes), while 'less' is used with uncountable or mass nouns.

Question 2

A copyeditor encounters 'the data shows a trend.' What is the traditional editorial concern?

Accepted Answer

'Data' is traditionally plural, so 'show' is preferred in formal contexts.

Answer

Traditionally, 'data' is the plural of 'datum,' so formal style often prefers 'the data show,' though singular usage is increasingly accepted.

Question 3

Which of the following is the correct usage of 'that' versus 'which'?

Accepted Answer

Use 'that' for restrictive clauses and 'which' for nonrestrictive clauses.

Answer

In American editorial style, 'that' introduces restrictive (essential) clauses, while 'which' introduces nonrestrictive (parenthetical) clauses set off by commas.

Question 4

The word 'enormity' is used in a manuscript to mean 'enormous size.' What should the copyeditor do?

Accepted Answer

Flag it, because 'enormity' traditionally means great wickedness or moral outrageousness, not large size.

Answer

Traditional usage reserves 'enormity' for extreme wickedness; using it to mean large size is considered an error in formal edited prose.

Question 5

Which word choice is correct: 'The committee will comprise/compose the new board members'?

Accepted Answer

'Compose': the members compose (make up) the committee.

Answer

'Comprise' means 'to include or contain,' so the whole comprises the parts (the committee comprises the members), not the reverse.

CCE - Certified Copyeditor Practice Test

CCE - Certified Copyeditor Practice Test

CCE CCE Word Usage and Diction Questions and Answers