SARCASM/IRONY
What is the difference in meaning between "sarcasm" and "irony"?
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Can you identify the person who coined the following?
"Education is the best provision for old age."
WORD OF THE DAY
The word for today is "surreptitious".
Define "surreptitious" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted on Sunday.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
A VERITABLE PLETHORA
SPELLING, GRAMMAR, SENSE - YOU CHOOSE
Can you find and correct all the errors in the following?
"Greg Oliphant of Condor Signals Communications was assessing the damage to one of the signals that were knocked down Wednesday morning when a car driven by a Michigan man collided with a freight train on Brock Street near College Avenue."
Photo Cutline, "Car, train collide", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
"However, there are some issues that I think it's incumbent upon us to ensure there is accountability for the money that the City of Windsor is sending...and how that money is being spent."
Dalson Chen, citing Windsor Mayor, Eddie Francis, "Councillors want audit of library", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
"NO BIG DEAL: Gino DiCarlo just recently moved to the Blue Heron area in the city's east end, but is not particularly concerned about the existance of a former landfill near his home."
Photo Cutline, "Eastside residents fear potential landfill health risk", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
Question: doesn't the cutline contradict the heading? (I just thought I would ask.)
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "pernicious".
Define "pernicious" and use it in a sentence.
Can you find and correct all the errors in the following?
"Greg Oliphant of Condor Signals Communications was assessing the damage to one of the signals that were knocked down Wednesday morning when a car driven by a Michigan man collided with a freight train on Brock Street near College Avenue."
Photo Cutline, "Car, train collide", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
"However, there are some issues that I think it's incumbent upon us to ensure there is accountability for the money that the City of Windsor is sending...and how that money is being spent."
Dalson Chen, citing Windsor Mayor, Eddie Francis, "Councillors want audit of library", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
"NO BIG DEAL: Gino DiCarlo just recently moved to the Blue Heron area in the city's east end, but is not particularly concerned about the existance of a former landfill near his home."
Photo Cutline, "Eastside residents fear potential landfill health risk", The Windsor Star, Thursday, March 6, 2008.
Question: doesn't the cutline contradict the heading? (I just thought I would ask.)
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "pernicious".
Define "pernicious" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
PROOFING PROBLEMS
"ONE, MAYBE, BUT..."
Are there any errors in the entries below? How many?
Correct the errors you find.
"On Tuesday, the audit commitee decided behind closed doors to delay the release of the audit for at least another month."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
"Despite ongoing delays, Bailey said there has been no changes made to the report."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
"Halberstadt said he keeps pressing for its release and took comfort from Berry's stated intentions: "There has been issues with regards to responses from administration and why the delays."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "derisive".
Define "derisive" and use it in a sentence.
Are there any errors in the entries below? How many?
Correct the errors you find.
"On Tuesday, the audit commitee decided behind closed doors to delay the release of the audit for at least another month."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
"Despite ongoing delays, Bailey said there has been no changes made to the report."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
"Halberstadt said he keeps pressing for its release and took comfort from Berry's stated intentions: "There has been issues with regards to responses from administration and why the delays."
Dave Battagello, "Release of audit delayed", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 5, 2008.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "derisive".
Define "derisive" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE
MINUTE/MOMENT/INSTANT
Are there differences in meaning among the words "minute", "moment" and "instant" or are they completely interchangeable?
Try to create sentences that display any differences you think exist.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "prestigious".
Define "prestigious" and use it in a sentence.
Are there differences in meaning among the words "minute", "moment" and "instant" or are they completely interchangeable?
Try to create sentences that display any differences you think exist.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "prestigious".
Define "prestigious" and use it in a sentence.
Monday, March 3, 2008
AN EASY START
PAIL/PALE
List as many definitions as you can for the words "pail" and "pale".
Be sure to be able to create sentences for each definition.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "incredulity".
Define "incredulity" and use it in a sentence.
List as many definitions as you can for the words "pail" and "pale".
Be sure to be able to create sentences for each definition.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "incredulity".
Define "incredulity" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - March 2, 2008
Here are the corrections for last week’s postings.
Monday
WHO'S/WHOSE
“Whose” is the possessive form of “who”, as in, “Whose shoes are these in the hall?”
“Who’s” is a contraction which means “who is”, as in, “Who’s going to pick up those shoes?”
YOUR/YOU'RE
“Your” is the possessive form of “you”, as in, “That is your shirt draped on the floor”.
“You’re” means “you are”, as in, “You are going to put that shirt away where it belongs”.
Tuesday
SENSUOUS/SENSUAL
“Sensuous” means appealing to the senses, such as taste or touch.
“Sensual” means excessively or physically affecting or derived from the senses.
Wednesday
TORTUROUS/TORTUOUS
“Torturous” means causing pain or painful in a cruel way.
“Tortuous” means winding, crooked, intricate or tricky to handle.
PLURALS
What is the plural form of "cupful" and of "spoonful"?
The plural of “cupful” is “cupfuls”.
The plural of “spoonful” is “spoonfuls”.
I bet they fooled you. I disagree with my sources; I think the plurals should be "cupsful" and "spoonsful". If you can definitively prove one or the other, please let me know and I will publish an amendment.
Thursday
How many errors can you find in the entries below?
"RCMP in Kamloops, B.C., are calling their decision to use a Taser on a man brandishing a butcher knife earlier this week."
This group of words is an incomplete thought; there is no main verb.
“RCMP” is a singular group and needs a singular verb.
"The RCMP in Kamloops, B.C., is calling their decision justified in using a Taser on a man brandishing a butcher knife earlier this week."
"'We arranged a land swap with St. Clair college and had made agreements in terms of when they could take over the old building which we were not able to fulfil. We had arrangements for furniture that had to be put in storage. There are a number of issues that we're going to have to deal with.'"
“Number” is singular and needs a singular verb.
"Fulfil", actually, is acceptable.
'We arranged a land swap with St. Clair college and had made agreements in terms of when they could take over the old building which we were not able to fulfil. We had arrangements for furniture that had to be put in storage. There is a number of issues that we're going to have to deal with.'"
Friday
CALLOUS/CALLUSED
“Callous” means cold-hearted or emotionally hardened.
“Callused” refers to the tough build-up on a person’s hands or feet.
FUN QUOTE
"Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children."
George Bernard Shaw said this.
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Vestigial" (adj.) means rudimentary, undeveloped, budding or emerging.
“Obstreperous" (adj.) means stubbornly defiant or aggressively noisy.
“Presage" (v.) means to forebode, to predict or to signal bad news.
“Reprove" (v.) meand to admonish or take one to task for bad behaviour.
“Ebullient" (adj.) means exuberant, high spirited or joyous.
"COMMENT" COMMENT
Nicholas, "him" and "her" are not possessive pronouns. "Him" and "her" are the objective cases of the pronouns "he" and "she".
Monday
WHO'S/WHOSE
“Whose” is the possessive form of “who”, as in, “Whose shoes are these in the hall?”
“Who’s” is a contraction which means “who is”, as in, “Who’s going to pick up those shoes?”
YOUR/YOU'RE
“Your” is the possessive form of “you”, as in, “That is your shirt draped on the floor”.
“You’re” means “you are”, as in, “You are going to put that shirt away where it belongs”.
Tuesday
SENSUOUS/SENSUAL
“Sensuous” means appealing to the senses, such as taste or touch.
“Sensual” means excessively or physically affecting or derived from the senses.
Wednesday
TORTUROUS/TORTUOUS
“Torturous” means causing pain or painful in a cruel way.
“Tortuous” means winding, crooked, intricate or tricky to handle.
PLURALS
What is the plural form of "cupful" and of "spoonful"?
The plural of “cupful” is “cupfuls”.
The plural of “spoonful” is “spoonfuls”.
I bet they fooled you. I disagree with my sources; I think the plurals should be "cupsful" and "spoonsful". If you can definitively prove one or the other, please let me know and I will publish an amendment.
Thursday
How many errors can you find in the entries below?
"RCMP in Kamloops, B.C., are calling their decision to use a Taser on a man brandishing a butcher knife earlier this week."
This group of words is an incomplete thought; there is no main verb.
“RCMP” is a singular group and needs a singular verb.
"The RCMP in Kamloops, B.C., is calling their decision justified in using a Taser on a man brandishing a butcher knife earlier this week."
"'We arranged a land swap with St. Clair college and had made agreements in terms of when they could take over the old building which we were not able to fulfil. We had arrangements for furniture that had to be put in storage. There are a number of issues that we're going to have to deal with.'"
“Number” is singular and needs a singular verb.
"Fulfil", actually, is acceptable.
'We arranged a land swap with St. Clair college and had made agreements in terms of when they could take over the old building which we were not able to fulfil. We had arrangements for furniture that had to be put in storage. There is a number of issues that we're going to have to deal with.'"
Friday
CALLOUS/CALLUSED
“Callous” means cold-hearted or emotionally hardened.
“Callused” refers to the tough build-up on a person’s hands or feet.
FUN QUOTE
"Youth is a wonderful thing. What a crime to waste it on children."
George Bernard Shaw said this.
THIS WEEK’S WORDS
“Vestigial" (adj.) means rudimentary, undeveloped, budding or emerging.
“Obstreperous" (adj.) means stubbornly defiant or aggressively noisy.
“Presage" (v.) means to forebode, to predict or to signal bad news.
“Reprove" (v.) meand to admonish or take one to task for bad behaviour.
“Ebullient" (adj.) means exuberant, high spirited or joyous.
"COMMENT" COMMENT
Nicholas, "him" and "her" are not possessive pronouns. "Him" and "her" are the objective cases of the pronouns "he" and "she".
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