Which of the Following Examples Would Be Most Consistent with Marcus's

question 69

Multiple Choice

Which of the following examples would be most consistent with Marcus's (1996) rule-and-memory theory for children's choice of past-tense verbs?

• A) Children systematically add "-ed" to every present-tense verb, to create a past-tense verb, and they remember this rule.
• B) Children typically add "-ed" to present-tense verbs, but they have also learned the past tense of a small number of irregular verbs.
• C) Children create a rule, based on adults' models of past tense, and the children store this rule in long-term memory.
• D) Children keep a tally of the statistically likely pattern of past-tense words, and they retrieve this rule from memory when appropriate.

---

Definitions:

Silent Epidemic

A health condition or disease that spreads widely or affects a large number of people without receiving significant public attention or awareness.

Foster Child

A child who has been placed into a government or private agency's care because the original family is unable to provide adequate care.

Transracial Adoption

The adoption of a child that is of a different race than the adoptive parents, aimed at providing a loving home to children while also navigating cultural and identity issues.

Vicarious Parenthood

Experiencing the roles and responsibilities of parenting indirectly, such as through caring for a relative's or friend's child.