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Sunday, December 21, 2008
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - December 21, 2008
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Monday
REPLETE/COMPLETE
“Replete” means stuffed, or full to overflowing.
“Complete” means full, absolute, total or entire.
Tuesday
Identify and correct the errors in the examples below.
“...they went further into that area.”
“Further” means in addition to. The context demands “farther” because it is about distance.
“...they went farther into that area.”
“How long have you been doing that for?”
“For” at the end of a sentence is redundant and dangling. The meaning is completed with the word “that”.
“How long have you been doing that?”
“I presume there is a (as in hay) opportunity…”.
“An” must be used before a vowel. (And, “a” is not pronounced as in “hay”; it is pronounced as in “bad”.)
“I presume there is an opportunity…”
“...when I see the data that is presented…”.
“Data” is a plural word and needs a plural verb. “Datum” is the singular form.
“...when I see the data that arepresented…”.
Wednesday
Find and correct the errors in these examples.
Bonus: get a star for identifying the proof reader. I have no idea who the proof reader is, but he or she is making the boss look bad. Some due diligence is needed.
“Please feel free to stop in and meet my staff and I for a snack and some warm holiday wishes.”
“Meet“ is a verb. It takes an object, so “me“ is required. “I” is the subjective case.
“Please feel free to stop in and meet my staff and me for a snack and some warm holiday wishes.”
“Please also note that we are also holding a canned food drive at this event, and for those that are able, please bring a non-perishable item which will be donated to families in need within our community this holiday seasson.”
“Also” is unnecessarily repeated and one should be eliminated.
“Those” refers to people; therefore, “who” is required. “That” refers to things only.
What is the word “seasson”? Try “season”.
“Please note that we are also holding a canned food drive at this event and, for those who are able, please bring a non-perishable item which will be donated to families in need within our community this holiday season.”
Thursday
PHENOMENA/PHENOMENON
“Phenomenon” is singular.
“Phenomena” is plural.
They are not interchangeable.
“Criteria”, “data” and “media” are all plural. Their singular forms are, respectively, “criterion”, “datum” and “medium”.
They are not interchangeable.
Friday
FORCEFUL/FORCIBLE/FORCED
“Forceful” means powerful, as in “he had a forceful personality“.
“Forcible” must be used when describing the use of force, such as in “the thief made a forcible entry into the bank.”
“Forced” describes something done as the result of outside influences and may not necessarily be violent, as in “a forced smile”.
A QUOTE FOR ALL SEASONS
“In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility.”
William Shakespeare wrote this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Rapprochement” (n.) means an establishment or reestablishment of harmonious relationships or a bringing near or close.
“Plutocracy” (n.) means the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy or a government or state wherein the wealthy rule.
“Omniscient” (adj.) means all-knowing or having infinite knowledge. It is taken from the Latin “omni” meaning all and “scient” meaning knowledge.
“Sonorous” (adj.) means loud, deep, resonant or echoing.
“Emulation” (n.) means the effort to equal or excel others. An old meaning is jealous rivalry.
Monday
REPLETE/COMPLETE
“Replete” means stuffed, or full to overflowing.
“Complete” means full, absolute, total or entire.
Tuesday
Identify and correct the errors in the examples below.
“...they went further into that area.”
“Further” means in addition to. The context demands “farther” because it is about distance.
“...they went farther into that area.”
“How long have you been doing that for?”
“For” at the end of a sentence is redundant and dangling. The meaning is completed with the word “that”.
“How long have you been doing that?”
“I presume there is a (as in hay) opportunity…”.
“An” must be used before a vowel. (And, “a” is not pronounced as in “hay”; it is pronounced as in “bad”.)
“I presume there is an opportunity…”
“...when I see the data that is presented…”.
“Data” is a plural word and needs a plural verb. “Datum” is the singular form.
“...when I see the data that arepresented…”.
Wednesday
Find and correct the errors in these examples.
Bonus: get a star for identifying the proof reader. I have no idea who the proof reader is, but he or she is making the boss look bad. Some due diligence is needed.
“Please feel free to stop in and meet my staff and I for a snack and some warm holiday wishes.”
“Meet“ is a verb. It takes an object, so “me“ is required. “I” is the subjective case.
“Please feel free to stop in and meet my staff and me for a snack and some warm holiday wishes.”
“Please also note that we are also holding a canned food drive at this event, and for those that are able, please bring a non-perishable item which will be donated to families in need within our community this holiday seasson.”
“Also” is unnecessarily repeated and one should be eliminated.
“Those” refers to people; therefore, “who” is required. “That” refers to things only.
What is the word “seasson”? Try “season”.
“Please note that we are also holding a canned food drive at this event and, for those who are able, please bring a non-perishable item which will be donated to families in need within our community this holiday season.”
Thursday
PHENOMENA/PHENOMENON
“Phenomenon” is singular.
“Phenomena” is plural.
They are not interchangeable.
“Criteria”, “data” and “media” are all plural. Their singular forms are, respectively, “criterion”, “datum” and “medium”.
They are not interchangeable.
Friday
FORCEFUL/FORCIBLE/FORCED
“Forceful” means powerful, as in “he had a forceful personality“.
“Forcible” must be used when describing the use of force, such as in “the thief made a forcible entry into the bank.”
“Forced” describes something done as the result of outside influences and may not necessarily be violent, as in “a forced smile”.
A QUOTE FOR ALL SEASONS
“In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility.”
William Shakespeare wrote this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Rapprochement” (n.) means an establishment or reestablishment of harmonious relationships or a bringing near or close.
“Plutocracy” (n.) means the rule or power of wealth or of the wealthy or a government or state wherein the wealthy rule.
“Omniscient” (adj.) means all-knowing or having infinite knowledge. It is taken from the Latin “omni” meaning all and “scient” meaning knowledge.
“Sonorous” (adj.) means loud, deep, resonant or echoing.
“Emulation” (n.) means the effort to equal or excel others. An old meaning is jealous rivalry.
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