Question

which sentences contain an example of contested usage? select the two correct answers. (1 point) and william also said that he did not understand why he couldnt play on the football team anymore. 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. the chair for the chair of the board of directors is at the head of the board table. the postman needs to know who this letter is addressed to so it can be delivered.

Explanation:

Contested usage refers to grammar, word choice, or phrasing that is debated among language users (some accept it, others consider it non-standard or incorrect).

1. The sentence "And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn't play on the football team anymore." uses "And" to start a sentence, a construction that traditional grammar prescribes against but is widely accepted in informal and even formal contexts, making it contested.
2. The sentence "The postman needs to know who this letter is addressed to so it can be delivered." ends with a preposition ("to"). This was once widely condemned in prescriptive grammar but is now accepted as natural in modern usage, so it is a case of contested usage.

The other sentences use standard, undisputed grammar and phrasing.

Answer:

And William also said that he did not understand why he couldn't play on the football team anymore.
The postman needs to know who this letter is addressed to so it can be delivered.