TAKEN BACK/TAKEN ABACK
Explain the difference between the phrases "taken back" and "taken aback".
Compose sentences using each.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "poltroon".
Define "poltroon" and use it in a sentence.
(I know the word is out of date but I like the sound of it.)
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
A MIXED BAG
DISSEMBLE/DISASSEMBLE
Define and explain the differences between the words "dissemble" and "disassemble".
Use each word in a sentence.
CONSIDER THIS
Identify the author of the following piece of wisdom.
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "ominous".
Define "ominous" and use it in a sentence.
Define and explain the differences between the words "dissemble" and "disassemble".
Use each word in a sentence.
CONSIDER THIS
Identify the author of the following piece of wisdom.
“He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "ominous".
Define "ominous" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
HUMP DAY HACKING
READ CLOSELY
Find, explain and correct the error in the following piece.
"Details about the shooting remain murky, but initial accounts described Rettig being shot through the closed window of his vehicle by someone wearing a bandanna over their face."
Dalson Chen, "Bullets fly on mean Detroit streets", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, January 21, 2009.
CREDITABLE/CREDIBLE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "creditable" and "credible".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "divination".
Define "divination" and use it in a sentence.
Find, explain and correct the error in the following piece.
"Details about the shooting remain murky, but initial accounts described Rettig being shot through the closed window of his vehicle by someone wearing a bandanna over their face."
Dalson Chen, "Bullets fly on mean Detroit streets", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, January 21, 2009.
CREDITABLE/CREDIBLE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "creditable" and "credible".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "divination".
Define "divination" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
AND THE BEAT GOES ON...
ANOTHER PRO CONTRIBUTION
Find and fix the error in the following entry.
"Adrian College, which plays as a Division III independent in Adrian, Mich., is 11-5-1 this season and the quality of several of those wins are the type that'll catch the eye of the NCAA selection committee."
Dave Waddell, "Wildcats put bite in Bulldogs", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, January 20, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is “imbue”.
Define “imbue” and use it in a sentence.
Find and fix the error in the following entry.
"Adrian College, which plays as a Division III independent in Adrian, Mich., is 11-5-1 this season and the quality of several of those wins are the type that'll catch the eye of the NCAA selection committee."
Dave Waddell, "Wildcats put bite in Bulldogs", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, January 20, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is “imbue”.
Define “imbue” and use it in a sentence.
Monday, January 19, 2009
TAKE CARE WITH THESE
PRECEDENCE/PRECEDENTS
Define and explain the difference between the words "precedence" and "precedents".
Create sentences that show the meanings of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "abrogate".
Define "abrogate" and use it in a sentence.
Define and explain the difference between the words "precedence" and "precedents".
Create sentences that show the meanings of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "abrogate".
Define "abrogate" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Monday
INTERMENT/INTERNMENT
“Interment” (n.) means burial or entombment.
“Internment” (n.) means imprisonment, confinement or incarceration.
Tuesday
I HATE THESE ADS
Find and correct the errors.
Bonus: identify the irony in the Bose commercial.
“I wouldn't trade it for nothing!” Bose, the most respected name in sound.
Bose commercial
There is a double negative in the first sentence which creates the irony of the “most respected name” being so grammatically incorrect. Technically, the second group of words in not even a sentence. Ads are short and pithy but should be correct if the company wants their stated respect.
“I wouldn't trade it for anything!” Bose, the most respected name in souns.
“You don't drive like her, so why should you pay the same insurance premiums as her?”
Grey Power commercial
The subjective form of the pronoun should be used in both clauses.
“You don't drive like she does, so why should you pay the same insurance premiums as she does?”
Wednesday
“Here a truck heads toward the bridge off of Patricia Road.”
“Off of” is two prepositions which can never be put together. The word should really be changed.
“Here a truck heads toward the bridge near Patricia Road.”
“The caller left the vehicle to get a tow truck and when they returned it was gone.”
The “caller” is singular, so why is a plural relative pronoun being used in the second clause to refer to a singular noun? The generic “he” should be used.
“The caller left the vehicle to get a tow truck and when he returned it was gone.”
“ ‘A lot of contracting companies have scaled back and a lot of small businesses have went out west or moved elsewhere where the grass is greener,' said Dinchik.”
“Have went” is an incorrect form of the verb “have”.
“ ‘A lot of contracting companies have scaled back and a lot of small businesses have gone out west or moved elsewhere where the grass is greener,” said Dinchik.”
Thursday
MATERIAL/MATERIEL
“Material” (n.) refers to fabric, cloth, textile or stuff.
“Material” (adj.) means significant or important.
“Materiel” (n.) is a French word meaning the equipment and supplies used by armies and other organizations.
The words are not interchangeable.
Friday
SPIRITUALISM/SPIRITUALITY
Spiritualism” (n.) is the belief in the possibility of communication with the spirits of the dead.
“Spirituality” (n.) refers to religious beliefs and activities.
THINK ABOUT THIS
“Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort.”
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote this aphorism.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Oscillate” (v.) means to swing, to move back and forth or to fluctuate.
“Vacuous” (adj.) means empty-headed, unintelligent or inane.
“Altruism” (n.) means unselfishness, humanity or the principle or practice of seeking the welfare of others before oneself.
“Narcissism” (n.) means vanity, self-absorption, conceit or egotism.
Narcissism is based in the myth of a beautiful youth, Narcissus, who was so entranced with his own image when he looked at himself in the water that he metamorphosed into a showy, bulbous plant.
“Compendium” (n.) is a comprehensive summary of a subject or a concise treatise.
Monday
INTERMENT/INTERNMENT
“Interment” (n.) means burial or entombment.
“Internment” (n.) means imprisonment, confinement or incarceration.
Tuesday
I HATE THESE ADS
Find and correct the errors.
Bonus: identify the irony in the Bose commercial.
“I wouldn't trade it for nothing!” Bose, the most respected name in sound.
Bose commercial
There is a double negative in the first sentence which creates the irony of the “most respected name” being so grammatically incorrect. Technically, the second group of words in not even a sentence. Ads are short and pithy but should be correct if the company wants their stated respect.
“I wouldn't trade it for anything!” Bose, the most respected name in souns.
“You don't drive like her, so why should you pay the same insurance premiums as her?”
Grey Power commercial
The subjective form of the pronoun should be used in both clauses.
“You don't drive like she does, so why should you pay the same insurance premiums as she does?”
Wednesday
“Here a truck heads toward the bridge off of Patricia Road.”
“Off of” is two prepositions which can never be put together. The word should really be changed.
“Here a truck heads toward the bridge near Patricia Road.”
“The caller left the vehicle to get a tow truck and when they returned it was gone.”
The “caller” is singular, so why is a plural relative pronoun being used in the second clause to refer to a singular noun? The generic “he” should be used.
“The caller left the vehicle to get a tow truck and when he returned it was gone.”
“ ‘A lot of contracting companies have scaled back and a lot of small businesses have went out west or moved elsewhere where the grass is greener,' said Dinchik.”
“Have went” is an incorrect form of the verb “have”.
“ ‘A lot of contracting companies have scaled back and a lot of small businesses have gone out west or moved elsewhere where the grass is greener,” said Dinchik.”
Thursday
MATERIAL/MATERIEL
“Material” (n.) refers to fabric, cloth, textile or stuff.
“Material” (adj.) means significant or important.
“Materiel” (n.) is a French word meaning the equipment and supplies used by armies and other organizations.
The words are not interchangeable.
Friday
SPIRITUALISM/SPIRITUALITY
Spiritualism” (n.) is the belief in the possibility of communication with the spirits of the dead.
“Spirituality” (n.) refers to religious beliefs and activities.
THINK ABOUT THIS
“Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort.”
Charles Dickens (1812-1870) wrote this aphorism.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Oscillate” (v.) means to swing, to move back and forth or to fluctuate.
“Vacuous” (adj.) means empty-headed, unintelligent or inane.
“Altruism” (n.) means unselfishness, humanity or the principle or practice of seeking the welfare of others before oneself.
“Narcissism” (n.) means vanity, self-absorption, conceit or egotism.
Narcissism is based in the myth of a beautiful youth, Narcissus, who was so entranced with his own image when he looked at himself in the water that he metamorphosed into a showy, bulbous plant.
“Compendium” (n.) is a comprehensive summary of a subject or a concise treatise.
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