ALAS! IT NEVER ENDS!
Example 1 (There are two errors in this one.)
"Her band of eight students were studying how to depict a group of trees."
Scott Webster photo caption, The Windsor Star, Friday, October 26, 2007.
Example 2 (There are two errors here also.)
"They call themselves North Preston's Finest (NPF) after the small Nova Scotia community northeast of Halifa were they hail from."
"Stay east, police tell N. S. girls", The Windsor Star, Friday, October 26, 2007.
MORE PARSING
Parse the following sentence using the rules set out in last week's parsing posts. There is one new concept in the example.
"The boy, Tom, in the back of the room constantly disrupted the the teacher with disgusting noises."
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "intrepid".
Define "intrepid" and use it in a sentence.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
LEST WE FORGET
PROSE BY THE PROS
I have not cited the professional writers lately and do not want them to feel I am neglecting them.
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
Example 1
"County Road 25 north of County Road 46 is lined with dozens of mature trees on the road allowance. That's what Chevalier would like to see more of."
Gary Rennie, "Farmer takes on county after trees mowed down." The Windsor Star, Wednesday, October 24, 2007.
Example 2
"Most often, though, trees are located on the side of the ditch furthest from the road, with occasional exceptions made for mature trees that are left alone even though they are technically too close to the road by county standards."
Gary Rennie, "Farmer takes on county after trees mowed down." The Windsor Star, Wednesday, October 24, 2007.
WORD OF THE DAY
The word for today is "flippant".
Define "flippant" and use it in conversation.
I have not cited the professional writers lately and do not want them to feel I am neglecting them.
Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.
Example 1
"County Road 25 north of County Road 46 is lined with dozens of mature trees on the road allowance. That's what Chevalier would like to see more of."
Gary Rennie, "Farmer takes on county after trees mowed down." The Windsor Star, Wednesday, October 24, 2007.
Example 2
"Most often, though, trees are located on the side of the ditch furthest from the road, with occasional exceptions made for mature trees that are left alone even though they are technically too close to the road by county standards."
Gary Rennie, "Farmer takes on county after trees mowed down." The Windsor Star, Wednesday, October 24, 2007.
WORD OF THE DAY
The word for today is "flippant".
Define "flippant" and use it in conversation.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
CHALLENGES
WHAT'S WRONG?
Explain the errors in the sentences below?
He wants out of the contract.
The cat wants in.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "satiate".
Define "satiate" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the errors in the sentences below?
He wants out of the contract.
The cat wants in.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "satiate".
Define "satiate" and use it in a sentence.
Monday, October 22, 2007
EASY START
HEIGHTH/HEIGHT
Correctly use each of the above words in sentences.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "bemused".
Define "bemused" and use it in a sentence.
Be careful; the meaning might not be completely what you think.
PARSING
Later in the week, I will add something new to last week's parsing exercises.
Correctly use each of the above words in sentences.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "bemused".
Define "bemused" and use it in a sentence.
Be careful; the meaning might not be completely what you think.
PARSING
Later in the week, I will add something new to last week's parsing exercises.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - October 21, 2007
Monday
SPECIAL/ESPECIAL
“Especial” is very formal and could be used when meaning “particular”. The more common uses of the words are as the adverbs “specially” and “especially”.
Tuesday
PRINCIPAL/PRINCIPLE
“Principal” (n. or adj.) means the highest of rank or importance.
“Principle” (n.) means a rule or standard and is used in terms of doctrine or law.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
LET US PARSE
Parsing a sentence is easy if you remember a few simple guidelines.
1. Identify the verb. (That's the word that expresses the action. We will expand on this later.)
2. Remember the following word: "What".
3. Ask "What" when looking at each word.
THE METHOD
1. What is the action? The verb.
1.a. What qualifies the action? Adverbs, that modify verbs. They answer the questions, "Where?" "When?", "Why?" and "How?"
2. What (who) does the action? The subject of the verb. (Usually a noun.)
2.a. What qualifies the subject? Adjectives, that modify nouns.
3. What receives the action? The object of the verb. (Usually a noun.)
3.a. What qualifies the object? Adjectives, that modify nouns.
CONCLUSION
To be able to parse you must remember one word, "WHAT?" and apply it logically.
Parse the following sentence.
"The little old lady planted some daisies in her garden."
FOLLOW THE METHOD
WHAT is the action? "Planted" (verb).
WHAT (who) does the action? "Lady" (noun, subject of the verb).
WHAT receives the action? "Daisies" (noun, object of the verb).
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the action? The phrase "in her garden" which answers "WHERE" the planting occurred. Therefore, "in her garden" is an adverb phrase modifying the verb "planted".
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the subject? The adjectives "little" and "old".
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the object? The adjective "some".
WHAT is "the"? A definite article designating the noun "lady".
THE PHRASE
What is a "phrase" and how does it function?
A phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and having a noun as its object; for example, “in her garden” is a phrase that begins with the preposition “in” and its object “garden”. “Garden” is the object of “in” because it answers the question “WHAT” after “in”.
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Prissy" (adj.) means prudish, puritanical, excessively fastidious or overly prim.
“Iconoclast" (n.) means an image destroyer or one who attacks cherished beliefs as superstition.
“Salient" (adj.) means outstanding, prominent or eye-catching.
“Fallacious" (adj.) Means unsound reasoning, deceptive or false argument. The root is the Latin “fallacia” or “fallacy”.
“Xenophobia" (n.) means a fear of foreigners or strangers.
SPECIAL/ESPECIAL
“Especial” is very formal and could be used when meaning “particular”. The more common uses of the words are as the adverbs “specially” and “especially”.
Tuesday
PRINCIPAL/PRINCIPLE
“Principal” (n. or adj.) means the highest of rank or importance.
“Principle” (n.) means a rule or standard and is used in terms of doctrine or law.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
LET US PARSE
Parsing a sentence is easy if you remember a few simple guidelines.
1. Identify the verb. (That's the word that expresses the action. We will expand on this later.)
2. Remember the following word: "What".
3. Ask "What" when looking at each word.
THE METHOD
1. What is the action? The verb.
1.a. What qualifies the action? Adverbs, that modify verbs. They answer the questions, "Where?" "When?", "Why?" and "How?"
2. What (who) does the action? The subject of the verb. (Usually a noun.)
2.a. What qualifies the subject? Adjectives, that modify nouns.
3. What receives the action? The object of the verb. (Usually a noun.)
3.a. What qualifies the object? Adjectives, that modify nouns.
CONCLUSION
To be able to parse you must remember one word, "WHAT?" and apply it logically.
Parse the following sentence.
"The little old lady planted some daisies in her garden."
FOLLOW THE METHOD
WHAT is the action? "Planted" (verb).
WHAT (who) does the action? "Lady" (noun, subject of the verb).
WHAT receives the action? "Daisies" (noun, object of the verb).
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the action? The phrase "in her garden" which answers "WHERE" the planting occurred. Therefore, "in her garden" is an adverb phrase modifying the verb "planted".
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the subject? The adjectives "little" and "old".
WHAT qualifies (modifies) the object? The adjective "some".
WHAT is "the"? A definite article designating the noun "lady".
THE PHRASE
What is a "phrase" and how does it function?
A phrase is a group of words beginning with a preposition and having a noun as its object; for example, “in her garden” is a phrase that begins with the preposition “in” and its object “garden”. “Garden” is the object of “in” because it answers the question “WHAT” after “in”.
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Prissy" (adj.) means prudish, puritanical, excessively fastidious or overly prim.
“Iconoclast" (n.) means an image destroyer or one who attacks cherished beliefs as superstition.
“Salient" (adj.) means outstanding, prominent or eye-catching.
“Fallacious" (adj.) Means unsound reasoning, deceptive or false argument. The root is the Latin “fallacia” or “fallacy”.
“Xenophobia" (n.) means a fear of foreigners or strangers.
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