A LITTLE TEST FOR FRIDAY
Identify the errors in the following; be sure to give supporting reasons:
1. She asked Natalie and I to be guardians.
2. He implied from her stare that she was angry at him.
3. She wrote him a love letter and he responded back.
4. Snowfalls are reoccuring events in Canada's north.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cogent".
Define "cogent" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
All corrections and explanations will be posted Sunday.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
SIMPLE & CARELESS
TODAY'S NEWS ITEM
How many errors can you find in the sentence below?
"Paint isn't the only way lead gets in toys."
Nancy Wilson, CBC Morning News, Wednesday, December 6, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "chicanery".
Define "chicanery" and use it in a sentence.
How many errors can you find in the sentence below?
"Paint isn't the only way lead gets in toys."
Nancy Wilson, CBC Morning News, Wednesday, December 6, 2007.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "chicanery".
Define "chicanery" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
INTERESTING CHALLENGES
BURST/BUST/BUSTED
What is the acceptable use of each of the following words: "burst", "bust" and "busted"? (Don't be crude.)
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "sanctimonious".
Define "sanctimonious" and use it in a sentence.
LITERARY LEGEND
Identify the author, work and speaker of the following; be really clever and explain the reason for the statement:
"It is a far, far, better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
What is the acceptable use of each of the following words: "burst", "bust" and "busted"? (Don't be crude.)
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "sanctimonious".
Define "sanctimonious" and use it in a sentence.
LITERARY LEGEND
Identify the author, work and speaker of the following; be really clever and explain the reason for the statement:
"It is a far, far, better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known."
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
TUESDAY TEASERS
LOOK CLOSELY
What are the errors in the sentences below? (Hint: check punctuation also.)
Before that, she says to me, "Keep still."
Set down on this couch.
Sit the money on the counter.
The child felt kind of lonely.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "rationale".
Define "rationale" and use it in a sentence.
ADVERTISING POLICY
If you wish to advertise on this blog contact me to negotiate a price. All unsolicited ads will be rejected.
What are the errors in the sentences below? (Hint: check punctuation also.)
Before that, she says to me, "Keep still."
Set down on this couch.
Sit the money on the counter.
The child felt kind of lonely.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "rationale".
Define "rationale" and use it in a sentence.
ADVERTISING POLICY
If you wish to advertise on this blog contact me to negotiate a price. All unsolicited ads will be rejected.
Monday, December 3, 2007
A DIFFERENT START
DEAR "ANONYMOUS"
Please check the Blog Archives for the entry, "A Day to Remember", from Monday, November 12, 2007 for answers to your query regarding "palate", "pallet" and "palette".
CANDELABRUM
What is a "candelabrum"? What is its plural form? What is its root? Why is this word so confusing?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "expository".
Define "expository" and use it in a sentence.
Please check the Blog Archives for the entry, "A Day to Remember", from Monday, November 12, 2007 for answers to your query regarding "palate", "pallet" and "palette".
CANDELABRUM
What is a "candelabrum"? What is its plural form? What is its root? Why is this word so confusing?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "expository".
Define "expository" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - December 2, 2007
Below are the corrections and explanations for last week's postings.
Monday
RAISE/RISE
"Raise" means "to make higher," "build" or "nurture and cause to grow". It is normally transitive.
"Rise" means "to get up" or "become elevated". It is never transitive.
Tuesday
Read the following sentences and choose the correct verb form:
The subjects are all plural and demand plural verbs.
1. The girls (have, has) prepared a lunch.
The girls have prepared a lunch.
2. Many of the neighbours (has, have) gone to the picnic.
Many of the neighbours have gone to the picnic.
3. At the door (sit, sits) Dick and Tom.
At the door sit Dick and Tom.
4. Hail and frost often (injure, injures) the fruit crops.
Hail and frost often injure the fruit crops.
INTENT vs MEANING
Read the sentence below. Try to determine what the author intended. Explain whether or not he used the correct wording. If you think it is incorrect, fix it.
"I don't know about you, but I'm anxious as hell to hear the reasons for the university's alleged thumbs-down on downtown."
I suggest there is no anxiety in wanting the reasons but, instead, keenness to hear the results. Therefore, “anxious” is the wrong word.
"I don't know about you, but I'm eager as hell to hear the reasons for the university's alleged thumbs-down on downtown."
Wednesday
BETWEEN/AMONG
“Between” is with two people or things. Never use “to” with “between”.
“Among” is used when discussing three or more people or things.
He travelled between New York and Toronto.
His choice of teams was among the Tigers, the Yankees and the Blue Jays.
Thursday
AMOUNT/NUMBER
Use the word “amount” with quantities that cannot be counted and “number” with quantities that could be counted one-by-one.
“He had a small amount of money left.”
“He had a small number of bills in his pocket.”
Friday
1. She is a very unique personality.
“Unique” means “one of a kind”. It is an absolute and cannot be compared.
She is a unique personality.
2. He drew an extremely straight line on the page.
“Straight” means “without bending”. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
He drew an extremely straight line on the page.
3. They were very overwhelmed with emotion.
Either one is “overwhelmed” (overtaken) or one is not. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
They were overwhelmed with emotion.
4. "You are so right!"
Either one is “right” or one is “wrong”. There is no in between. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
"You are right!"
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Emasculate" (v.) means to deprive of strength, vigour or masculinity, to be made effeminate.
“Exactitude" (n.) means accuracy or correctness.
“Depravity" (n.) means impairment of virtue or morals, depraved or morally perverted.
“Lugubrious" (adj.) means anguished, excessively mournful or suffering.
“Sylvan" (adj.) means shady, woody or inhabiting the woods.
SHAKESPEAREAN KNOWLEDGE
All the world ’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.”
As You Like It, Jacques, Act II. Sc. Vii. (Get a copy of the play if you want the rest.)
Monday
RAISE/RISE
"Raise" means "to make higher," "build" or "nurture and cause to grow". It is normally transitive.
"Rise" means "to get up" or "become elevated". It is never transitive.
Tuesday
Read the following sentences and choose the correct verb form:
The subjects are all plural and demand plural verbs.
1. The girls (have, has) prepared a lunch.
The girls have prepared a lunch.
2. Many of the neighbours (has, have) gone to the picnic.
Many of the neighbours have gone to the picnic.
3. At the door (sit, sits) Dick and Tom.
At the door sit Dick and Tom.
4. Hail and frost often (injure, injures) the fruit crops.
Hail and frost often injure the fruit crops.
INTENT vs MEANING
Read the sentence below. Try to determine what the author intended. Explain whether or not he used the correct wording. If you think it is incorrect, fix it.
"I don't know about you, but I'm anxious as hell to hear the reasons for the university's alleged thumbs-down on downtown."
I suggest there is no anxiety in wanting the reasons but, instead, keenness to hear the results. Therefore, “anxious” is the wrong word.
"I don't know about you, but I'm eager as hell to hear the reasons for the university's alleged thumbs-down on downtown."
Wednesday
BETWEEN/AMONG
“Between” is with two people or things. Never use “to” with “between”.
“Among” is used when discussing three or more people or things.
He travelled between New York and Toronto.
His choice of teams was among the Tigers, the Yankees and the Blue Jays.
Thursday
AMOUNT/NUMBER
Use the word “amount” with quantities that cannot be counted and “number” with quantities that could be counted one-by-one.
“He had a small amount of money left.”
“He had a small number of bills in his pocket.”
Friday
1. She is a very unique personality.
“Unique” means “one of a kind”. It is an absolute and cannot be compared.
She is a unique personality.
2. He drew an extremely straight line on the page.
“Straight” means “without bending”. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
He drew an extremely straight line on the page.
3. They were very overwhelmed with emotion.
Either one is “overwhelmed” (overtaken) or one is not. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
They were overwhelmed with emotion.
4. "You are so right!"
Either one is “right” or one is “wrong”. There is no in between. It is an absolute and cannot be qualified.
"You are right!"
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Emasculate" (v.) means to deprive of strength, vigour or masculinity, to be made effeminate.
“Exactitude" (n.) means accuracy or correctness.
“Depravity" (n.) means impairment of virtue or morals, depraved or morally perverted.
“Lugubrious" (adj.) means anguished, excessively mournful or suffering.
“Sylvan" (adj.) means shady, woody or inhabiting the woods.
SHAKESPEAREAN KNOWLEDGE
All the world ’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.”
As You Like It, Jacques, Act II. Sc. Vii. (Get a copy of the play if you want the rest.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
