LUXURIANT/LUXURIOUS
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "luxuriant" and "luxurious".
What part of speech is each word?
Create a sentence for each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "frump".
What part of speech is "frump"?
Change "frump" to another part of speech.
Define "frump" and use in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
SUBTLE MEANINGS
OPPRESS/REPRESS
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "oppress" and "repress".
What are the noun and adjective forms of each word?
Create sentences for "oppress" and "repress" that clearly express the meanings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "mortify".
Define "mortify" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "mortify"?
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "oppress" and "repress".
What are the noun and adjective forms of each word?
Create sentences for "oppress" and "repress" that clearly express the meanings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "mortify".
Define "mortify" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "mortify"?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
WHAT IS NOT A SENTENCE? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS!
CORRECT SENTENCE STRUCTURE - A MUST!
Correct the errors in the following examples. (Clue: check the quote below.)
Identify the reasons for the errors.
"Clandestine meetings in hotel rooms."
"Envelopes stuffed with cash."
"The money put not in banks, but in safe deposit boxes."
Lead Editorial, "Mulroney's testimony", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
"And how unwisely so how other teams spend theirs."
"The anchor of their defence."
"Flaws that were capitalized on by two guys Detroit rescued from the NHL scrap heap."
"Plays that Detroit made."
"Plays that Chicago didn't."
Bob Duff, "Wings seize the moment", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
THINK ABOUT THIS
Identify the author of the following.
“To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "spasmodic".
Define "spasmodic" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "spasmodic"?
Correct the errors in the following examples. (Clue: check the quote below.)
Identify the reasons for the errors.
"Clandestine meetings in hotel rooms."
"Envelopes stuffed with cash."
"The money put not in banks, but in safe deposit boxes."
Lead Editorial, "Mulroney's testimony", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
"And how unwisely so how other teams spend theirs."
"The anchor of their defence."
"Flaws that were capitalized on by two guys Detroit rescued from the NHL scrap heap."
"Plays that Detroit made."
"Plays that Chicago didn't."
Bob Duff, "Wings seize the moment", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
THINK ABOUT THIS
Identify the author of the following.
“To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge it, requires brains.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "spasmodic".
Define "spasmodic" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "spasmodic"?
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
TUESDAY'S TEST
THREE ERRORS!
There are three errors in the examples below.
Find and correct the errors. Be sure to have reasons for your selections.
"Bias against obesity getting worse"
Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service, headline, The Windsor Star, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
"One that his team's have been schooled in many times before."
Bob Duff, "Hawks coach in quandary", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "dearth".
Define "dearth" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "dearth"?
There are three errors in the examples below.
Find and correct the errors. Be sure to have reasons for your selections.
"Bias against obesity getting worse"
Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service, headline, The Windsor Star, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
"One that his team's have been schooled in many times before."
Bob Duff, "Hawks coach in quandary", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, May 19, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "dearth".
Define "dearth" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "dearth"?
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - May 17, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Monday
Find and fix the error in the piece below.
“Pope tell Christians to persevere”
The subject and verb must agree. “Pope” is singular and needs a singular verb.
Though it is a caption, a period would be good at the end.
“Pope tells Christians to persevere”
SURPRISE! A TEST!
Identify and give the relationship of the ten phrases in the examples below.
1. Rivers in the north freeze in that province.
“In the north” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “rivers”.
“In that province” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “freeze”. (when?)
2. What is the name of this street?
“Of this street” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “name”.
3. During the war the national debt of Canada increased to a great extent.
“During the war” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (when?)
“Of Canada” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “debt”.
“To a great extent” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (how?)
4. Snow sifted into our cabin through a tiny crack in the wall.
“Into our cabin” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(where?)
“Through a tiny crack” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(how?)
“In the wall” is an adjective phrase modify in the noun “crack”.
5. "Into the breach, young men," is a famous saying."
“Into the breach” is a noun phrase, subject of the verb “is”.
Tuesday
COMPOSE/COMPRISE
“Compose” (v.) means to create or made up or include.
“Comprise” (v.) is used mainly to mean to be included as in “the game comprises several innings”.
To avoid doubt, do not include “of” after “comprise”; change it to “composed of”.
Wednesday
DEPRAVATION/DEPRIVATION
“Depravation” is an old noun form of the word “depraved” meaning corrupted or perverted .
“Deprivation” (n.) is a state of extreme poverty or need.
Thursday
BROKE/BROKEN
“Broke” is the simple past tense of the word “break”.
“He broke his toe when he kicked the rock.”
“Broken” is the past participle of the word “break”. It usually functions as an adjective.
“His toe is broken.” (Verb form)
“He has a broken toe. (Adjective form)
“His toe is broke” is wrong and cannot be used.
Friday
DISCREET/DISCRETE
“Discreet” (adj.) means tactful, prudent, discerning or careful.
“Discrete” (adj.) means entirely separate and distinct or removed, as in three discrete divisions of government.
SADLY TRUE
Identify the author of the following.
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
This was coined by Martin Luther King Jr., an American civil rights leader.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Precipitous” (adj.) means sharp, steep, sheer or risky.
“Consternation” (n.) means fear, stupor, alarm or dismay.
“Fractious” (adj.) means cranky, petulant, testy, irritable or contentious.
“Braggadocio” (n.) means bluster, empty boasting, strutting or prancing. The simplest form of the word is “brag”.
The word is derived from a boastful character in Spenser’s “Fairie Queen”.
“Cadre” (n.) is a small group serving as the nucleus of a larger political movement. It refers to a core or a unit.
Monday
Find and fix the error in the piece below.
“Pope tell Christians to persevere”
The subject and verb must agree. “Pope” is singular and needs a singular verb.
Though it is a caption, a period would be good at the end.
“Pope tells Christians to persevere”
SURPRISE! A TEST!
Identify and give the relationship of the ten phrases in the examples below.
1. Rivers in the north freeze in that province.
“In the north” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “rivers”.
“In that province” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “freeze”. (when?)
2. What is the name of this street?
“Of this street” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “name”.
3. During the war the national debt of Canada increased to a great extent.
“During the war” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (when?)
“Of Canada” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “debt”.
“To a great extent” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (how?)
4. Snow sifted into our cabin through a tiny crack in the wall.
“Into our cabin” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(where?)
“Through a tiny crack” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(how?)
“In the wall” is an adjective phrase modify in the noun “crack”.
5. "Into the breach, young men," is a famous saying."
“Into the breach” is a noun phrase, subject of the verb “is”.
Tuesday
COMPOSE/COMPRISE
“Compose” (v.) means to create or made up or include.
“Comprise” (v.) is used mainly to mean to be included as in “the game comprises several innings”.
To avoid doubt, do not include “of” after “comprise”; change it to “composed of”.
Wednesday
DEPRAVATION/DEPRIVATION
“Depravation” is an old noun form of the word “depraved” meaning corrupted or perverted .
“Deprivation” (n.) is a state of extreme poverty or need.
Thursday
BROKE/BROKEN
“Broke” is the simple past tense of the word “break”.
“He broke his toe when he kicked the rock.”
“Broken” is the past participle of the word “break”. It usually functions as an adjective.
“His toe is broken.” (Verb form)
“He has a broken toe. (Adjective form)
“His toe is broke” is wrong and cannot be used.
Friday
DISCREET/DISCRETE
“Discreet” (adj.) means tactful, prudent, discerning or careful.
“Discrete” (adj.) means entirely separate and distinct or removed, as in three discrete divisions of government.
SADLY TRUE
Identify the author of the following.
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
This was coined by Martin Luther King Jr., an American civil rights leader.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Precipitous” (adj.) means sharp, steep, sheer or risky.
“Consternation” (n.) means fear, stupor, alarm or dismay.
“Fractious” (adj.) means cranky, petulant, testy, irritable or contentious.
“Braggadocio” (n.) means bluster, empty boasting, strutting or prancing. The simplest form of the word is “brag”.
The word is derived from a boastful character in Spenser’s “Fairie Queen”.
“Cadre” (n.) is a small group serving as the nucleus of a larger political movement. It refers to a core or a unit.
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