EASY CONFUSION
What is the difference between "sure" and "surely"?
Use both words in sentences that clearly show their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "axiomatic".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
ANNOUNCEMENT
There will be no new entry tomorrow.
Explanations will be posted on the weekend.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN
REPETITIVE ERRORS
"Any plans for developing the land where a pair of bald eagles have built their nest are on hold for the foreseeable future, a Ministry of the Environment said Tuesday."
Chris Thompson, "Eagles protected, MoE says", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
"Lawson loaned the track $1 million and the other two each put in $500,000."
Doug Lajoie, "Lawsuit costs track $2.7M", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "reprobate".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
"Any plans for developing the land where a pair of bald eagles have built their nest are on hold for the foreseeable future, a Ministry of the Environment said Tuesday."
Chris Thompson, "Eagles protected, MoE says", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
"Lawson loaned the track $1 million and the other two each put in $500,000."
Doug Lajoie, "Lawsuit costs track $2.7M", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, June 13, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "reprobate".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
DIFFERENCES
EASY TO MISUSE
What is the difference between "accuse" and "allege"?
Use each word in a sentence.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "spurious".
Define the word and use it ina sentence.
What is the difference between "accuse" and "allege"?
Use each word in a sentence.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "spurious".
Define the word and use it ina sentence.
Monday, June 11, 2007
REVIEW - THE 1ST 45
Below are the words I have listed since the start of this blog. I like to think that I can use them when needed. I know they are words that are wonderfully expressive and that sound good when spoken. Check the list. Add them to your lexicon. They are fun to use.
Abstruse, acrimonious, assiduous, cacophony, competence, concomitant, conflagration, dilettante, dirge, doddering, egalitarian, enervate, erudition, excoriate, execrate, exigency, fastidious, fatuous, frenetic, glib, grandiose, gratuitous, ignoramus, incredulity, inexorable, insidious, integrity, invective, irrespective, licentious, mellifluous, mendacious, miscarriage, multifarious, penurious, perfunctory, pervasive, promulgate, sagacious, slipshod, superfluous, sycophant, taciturn, tenacity, ubiquitous.
IS THE EXAMPLE BELOW ACCEPTABLE?
"Amherstburg is a lovely small community. One of the oldest and, perhaps, the most historic in Ontario."
Lloyd Brown-John, "Amherstburg's undeveloped potential", The Windsor Star, Monday, June 11, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "pretentious".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Below are the words I have listed since the start of this blog. I like to think that I can use them when needed. I know they are words that are wonderfully expressive and that sound good when spoken. Check the list. Add them to your lexicon. They are fun to use.
Abstruse, acrimonious, assiduous, cacophony, competence, concomitant, conflagration, dilettante, dirge, doddering, egalitarian, enervate, erudition, excoriate, execrate, exigency, fastidious, fatuous, frenetic, glib, grandiose, gratuitous, ignoramus, incredulity, inexorable, insidious, integrity, invective, irrespective, licentious, mellifluous, mendacious, miscarriage, multifarious, penurious, perfunctory, pervasive, promulgate, sagacious, slipshod, superfluous, sycophant, taciturn, tenacity, ubiquitous.
IS THE EXAMPLE BELOW ACCEPTABLE?
"Amherstburg is a lovely small community. One of the oldest and, perhaps, the most historic in Ontario."
Lloyd Brown-John, "Amherstburg's undeveloped potential", The Windsor Star, Monday, June 11, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "pretentious".
Define the word and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - June 10, 2007
Monday
What is the difference between "already" and "all ready"?
“Already” is an adverb and means “by then” or “by now”.
She had already sung her aria by the time we arrived at the theatre.
“All ready” means prepared or set and is two words.
We were all ready to leave but could not find our keys.
Tuesday
"I like them peaches".
"I like those peaches"
“Those” is a pronominal adjective and “them” cannot be substituted for it.
Wednesday
"Have you made up your mind who to vote for?"
"Have you made up your mind for whom you will vote?"
The correction may sound pretentious but it is correct. “Whom” must be objective case and a sentence cannot be ended in a preposition.
"I shoulda took that book back to the library yesterday."
"I should’ve taken book back to the library yesterday."
This one was not contrived; it was actually spoken by a person I know. “Shoulda” is a result of poor articulation and “took” cannot be used after “should have”. The present participle form must be used.
Thursday
"Less bird watchers means big dip in local tourist dollars."
"Fewer bird watchers means big dip in local tourist dollars."
“Less” cannot be used with objects that can be counted one by one. This was a headline, so it can be more cryptic.
Friday
"That's a favourite of Diane Chamberlain's."
"That's a favourite of Diane Chamberlain."
“Of” implies possession so making “Chamberlain” possessive is redundant.
"There are a number of fundraising events planned."
"There is a number of fundraising events planned."
“Number” is a collective singular noun and must have a singular verb.
TODAY'S WORDS
“Cacophony” (n.) means a harsh sound or noise.The cacophony of the children’s band as it warmed up was ear-splitting.
"Excoriate" (v.) means to strip skin from, flay or censure.It is reputed that Dr. Mengele would excoriate his victims and use their skin for lamp shades.
"Frenetic" (adj.) means frantic or frenzied.The frenetic screams of the terrified girl could be heard throughout the neighbourhood.
"Licentious" (adj.) means lewd or sensually unbridled.Much of today’s rapper music is licentious and chauvinistic.
"Ignoramus" (n.) means a person who is ignorant, is unlearned or is destitute of knowledge. The effete snob thought the cowboy was a complete ignoramus because of his lack of knowledge about Shakespeare.
What is the difference between "already" and "all ready"?
“Already” is an adverb and means “by then” or “by now”.
She had already sung her aria by the time we arrived at the theatre.
“All ready” means prepared or set and is two words.
We were all ready to leave but could not find our keys.
Tuesday
"I like them peaches".
"I like those peaches"
“Those” is a pronominal adjective and “them” cannot be substituted for it.
Wednesday
"Have you made up your mind who to vote for?"
"Have you made up your mind for whom you will vote?"
The correction may sound pretentious but it is correct. “Whom” must be objective case and a sentence cannot be ended in a preposition.
"I shoulda took that book back to the library yesterday."
"I should’ve taken book back to the library yesterday."
This one was not contrived; it was actually spoken by a person I know. “Shoulda” is a result of poor articulation and “took” cannot be used after “should have”. The present participle form must be used.
Thursday
"Less bird watchers means big dip in local tourist dollars."
"Fewer bird watchers means big dip in local tourist dollars."
“Less” cannot be used with objects that can be counted one by one. This was a headline, so it can be more cryptic.
Friday
"That's a favourite of Diane Chamberlain's."
"That's a favourite of Diane Chamberlain."
“Of” implies possession so making “Chamberlain” possessive is redundant.
"There are a number of fundraising events planned."
"There is a number of fundraising events planned."
“Number” is a collective singular noun and must have a singular verb.
TODAY'S WORDS
“Cacophony” (n.) means a harsh sound or noise.The cacophony of the children’s band as it warmed up was ear-splitting.
"Excoriate" (v.) means to strip skin from, flay or censure.It is reputed that Dr. Mengele would excoriate his victims and use their skin for lamp shades.
"Frenetic" (adj.) means frantic or frenzied.The frenetic screams of the terrified girl could be heard throughout the neighbourhood.
"Licentious" (adj.) means lewd or sensually unbridled.Much of today’s rapper music is licentious and chauvinistic.
"Ignoramus" (n.) means a person who is ignorant, is unlearned or is destitute of knowledge. The effete snob thought the cowboy was a complete ignoramus because of his lack of knowledge about Shakespeare.
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