any mistakes?

Question

The burglar sneaked all the way downstairs with hardly a sound.Would you correct this sentence, if any mistakes?

Blue Jay · Accepted Answer

It looks fine to me.
(Sneaked is the correct form, but in casual speech you may sometimes hear snuck used instead, mainly by American speakers.)

L Winterbourne · Answer

Hi Blue Jay, funny that this is a topic.

For awhile I busied myself reading about snuck v. sneak.

I found this

"Snuck is new, originating in the U.S. in the early 20th century, but it has become remarkably common across all main English varieties. People seem to like it, and it appears in even the most editorially scrupulous publications, so at this stage there is no basis for saying snuck is incorrect. It’s just new. English has many irregular verb forms, and adding one more won’t cause harm"

Other sites says snuck is American and also informal. Which one do you use when writing? When speaking?

Is "snuck" as bad as saying "more rounder" or "beautifuler"??

This snuck v. sneak debate is so hot it was on Conan O'Brien.

Blue Jay · Answer

L WinterbourneOther sites says snuck is American and also informal. Which one do you use when writing? When speaking?

I use them both in speech

I would normally write sneaked. I wouldn't write snuck unless I were deliberately trying to use an informal style, or in a text message perhaps.

L WinterbourneIs "snuck" as bad as saying "more rounder" or "beautifuler"??

Not in my view, no. I would never use either of those in speech or writing. I would class snuck as slang rather than outright wrong.

any mistakes?

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