Friday, June 5, 2009

A TOUGH CHALLENGE

PARTS OF SPEECH

There are eight parts of speech.
Identify and define the eight parts of speech.


TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "stilted".
What part of speech is "stilted"?
Define "stilted" and use it in a sentence.


CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS

Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

ELUSIVE CORRECTNESS

A LONG ONE

Identify and correct the error in the following sentence.

"Appreciate the brave young Canadian men and women who have gone to Afghanistan to fight the war on terrorism, especially those who have lost their lives in defence of our shared freedoms?"
Star Editorial Opinion, "Border rules", The Windsor Star, Thursday, June 4, 2009.


TODAY' WORD

The word for today is "fractious".
Define "fractious" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "fractious"?

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

FRIENDLY ADVICE

PREDOMINATE/PREDOMINANT

Explain the difference between the words "predominate" and "predominant".
What part of speech is each word?
Create a sentence for each word. Be sure the meaning of the word is evident in your sentence.


WORTH THINKING ABOUT

Identify the author of the following truism.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”


TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "predilection".
What part of speech is "predilection"?
Define "predilection" and use it in a sentence.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

READ VERY CAREFULLY

A GOOD CHALLENGE

Find and correct the errors in the following pieces.
Bonus: read the entries carefully and determine if they both make complete sense; if not, identify and correct the problem.



"The Ontario Court of Appeal issued the decision upholding damages for 'lost housekeeping capacity' making Claudia McIntyre the first person in Ontario to be awarded compensation for injuries affecting a person's ability to clean their house."
Trevor Wilhelm, "Court awards 'neat freak' $60,000", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

"Both passenger and commercial traffic was flowing in typical fashion at North America's busiest border crossing that links to Windsor with only brief warnings issued by U.S. border guards for those without the proper documents."
Dave Battagello, "No passport? Border guards cutting drivers some slack", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

TODAY'S WORD

The word for today is "pariah".
Define "pariah" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "pariah"?

Monday, June 1, 2009

PERENNIAL PRONOUN PROBLEMS

HE/HIM/SHE/HER

Explain the difference between "he" and "him".
Explain the difference between "she" and "her".
What is the correct use of each word?
How are the words misused?
Create sentences for each word.


WORD OF THE DAY

The word for today is "endemic".
What part of speech is "endemic"?
Define "endemic" and use it in a sentence.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - May 31, 2009

Here are the corrections and explanations for last weeks entries.

Monday

LONELY/LONESOME

Lonely” (adj.) means apart from others, isolated, solitary or without company.

Lonesome” (adj.) means a feeling of being depressed by solitude or a sense of being by oneself.


Tuesday

Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.

“An attack that left a Windsor cab driver with 15 stab wounds, slashes to both arms and lacerations to the top of his head after being beaten with a hammer.”

This is an incomplete thought; there is no main verb.

“It was an attack that left a Windsor cab driver with 15 stab wounds, slashes to both arms and lacerations to the top of his head after being beaten with a hammer.”


“Willistead Park is bordered by black metal fencing, not the green chain-linked fencing the wire pieces are believed to have originated from.”

This sentence ends in a preposition and should be reworded.

“Willistead Park is bordered by black metal fencing, not the green chain-linked fencing from which the wire pieces are believed to have originated.”


Wednesday

AMBIVALENT/INDIFFERENT

Ambivalent” (adj.) means indecisive, divided, of two minds or uncertain.
The noun form is “ambivalence”.

Indifferent” means showing a lack of concern or interest or neither good nor bad.
The noun form is “indifference”.


Thursday

DYEING/DYING

Dyeing” is the present participle of the verb “dye” and refers to the process of colouring fabrics or yarns.

Dying” is the present participle of the verb “die” meaning approaching death or ceasing to live.


Friday

ORDINANCE/ORDNANCE

“An “ordinance” is a law, a statute or a rule.

Ordnance” is military weaponry of all kinds including equipment and ammunition.


SO TRUE!

Identify the author of the following.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.”
Sir Winston Churchill said this.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

Nexus” (n.) means an attachment, a tie, a link or a relationship.

Capitulate” (v.) means to surrender under agreed conditions, to succumb, give in or knuckle under.

Omnipotence” (n.) means a state of having unlimited or absolute power, almighty or of infinite authority.

Disconsolate” (adj.) means sad beyond comforting or inconsolable.

Ululate” (v.) means to utter a prolonged cry, to howl or to wail.