THIS ONE STINKS
Identify and explain the error in the following.
Correct it.
"Neither the skunk nor the officer were injured."
Canwest News, "RCMP rescue skunk", The Windsor Star, Friday, August 21, 2009.
AFTERWARDS/AFTERWORDS
Explain the difference in meaning between "afterwards" and "afterwords".
Use "afterwards" and "afterwords" in sentences that show the words' meanings.
MANY
In response to a Comment request , here are some tips on using the word "many".
“Many”, as an adjective means constituting or forming a large number or numerous, as in “many people”. The comparative and superlative forms of “many” are “more” and “most”.
“Many”, as a noun means a large or considerable number of persons or things as in “A good many of the beggars were blind”.
“Many”, as a pronoun means various or numerous persons or things, as in “Many were unable to attend the funeral”.
"Many fish" is correct and is natural. The idea that it is unnatural might arise from the word "fish" which can be used singularly or plurally.
So, commenter, your use is completely correct and you need not be concerned about unnaturalness.
ASSURE/ENSURE/INSURE
In response to another Comment request, there is a discussion of "assure", "ensure" and "insure" in the archives in the entry of May 3, 2009, "Corrections & Explanations - May 3, 2009".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "pluralism".
What part of speech is "pluralism".
Define "pluralism" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
The corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
700 & COUNTING
CONGRATULATIONS TO MY BLOG
I am happy to report that this is post number 700.
I would like to thank all my contributors who provided such wonderful examples of language misuse and abuse. You have my heartfelt thanks and have provided me with the continuing impetus to keep going, which I have the fullest intention of doing. Keep up the bad work; you are making my days.
And congratulations to all, especially the professionals, who have learned to be less careless and more observant in using correct language.
Thank you all.
SOME FAVOURITE NO-NOs
Read the following and resolve never to use any of them for any reason.
Offer a correct alternative for each.
"I should of went to the game yesterday."
"I seen her when she was trying to get away."
"Where did you get that at?"
"The girl went missing last week and hasn't been seen since."
"The girl got her purse stolen yesterday."
PERPETRATE/PERPETUATE
Explain the difference in meaning between "perpetrate" and "perpetuate".
What part of speech is each word?
Use each word in a sentence.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "longevity".
What part of speech is "longevity"?
Define "longevity" and use it in a sentence.
I am happy to report that this is post number 700.
I would like to thank all my contributors who provided such wonderful examples of language misuse and abuse. You have my heartfelt thanks and have provided me with the continuing impetus to keep going, which I have the fullest intention of doing. Keep up the bad work; you are making my days.
And congratulations to all, especially the professionals, who have learned to be less careless and more observant in using correct language.
Thank you all.
SOME FAVOURITE NO-NOs
Read the following and resolve never to use any of them for any reason.
Offer a correct alternative for each.
"I should of went to the game yesterday."
"I seen her when she was trying to get away."
"Where did you get that at?"
"The girl went missing last week and hasn't been seen since."
"The girl got her purse stolen yesterday."
PERPETRATE/PERPETUATE
Explain the difference in meaning between "perpetrate" and "perpetuate".
What part of speech is each word?
Use each word in a sentence.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "longevity".
What part of speech is "longevity"?
Define "longevity" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
THE "Es" HAVE IT
NOTE
There will be no post tomorrow. The next post will be on Thursday.
Also, I will address the "Comment" request from yesterday on Thursday.
EFFLUENT/AFFLUENT
Explain the difference between "effluent" and "affluent".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences to demonstrate the meanings of each word.
SOMETHING WORTH EMULATING
Identify the author of the following thought.
“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 "ecclesiastical".
What part of speech is "ecclesiastical"?
Define "ecclesiastical" and use it in a sentence.
How many other forms of the word can you identify?
There will be no post tomorrow. The next post will be on Thursday.
Also, I will address the "Comment" request from yesterday on Thursday.
EFFLUENT/AFFLUENT
Explain the difference between "effluent" and "affluent".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences to demonstrate the meanings of each word.
SOMETHING WORTH EMULATING
Identify the author of the following thought.
“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 "ecclesiastical".
What part of speech is "ecclesiastical"?
Define "ecclesiastical" and use it in a sentence.
How many other forms of the word can you identify?
Monday, August 17, 2009
UNCOMMON TERMS
APROPOS/APPROPRIATE
Define and explain the difference in meaning between the words "apropos" and "appropriate".
Create sentences using "apropos" and "appripriate" that show the meqnings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "mountebank".
What part of speech is "mountebank"?
Define "mountebank" and use it in a sentence.
Define and explain the difference in meaning between the words "apropos" and "appropriate".
Create sentences using "apropos" and "appripriate" that show the meqnings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "mountebank".
What part of speech is "mountebank"?
Define "mountebank" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - August 16, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Monday
COPULA VERBS
What is a copula verb?
What verbs can be considered copula verbs?
Explain the differences between a sentence with a copula verb and a normal sentence.
A copula verb is a linking verb connecting its subject with its complement which can be either an adjective or a noun. It is often a verb of being but can also be a verb relating to the five senses.
“Look”, “sound”, “smell”, “feel”, “taste”, “appear”, “seem” and “become” are all copula verbs.
“Grow”, “turn”, “prove” and “remain” can be copula verbs when they reflect a state of being.
"I am the man."
“I” is a pronoun and the subject.
“Am” is a copula verb showing being.
“The” is a definite article referring to “man”.
“Man” is a noun completing, or referring to the subject “I”.
"This room smells bad."
“This” is a pronoun, modifying the noun “room”.
“Room” is a noun, subject of the verb “smells”.
“Smells” is a copula verb having the subject “room”.
“Bad” is an adjective, completing the subject “room”. It is often called a predicate adjective.
Tuesday
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
What is an active verb?
An active verb has the subject doing the action.
“John rode the horse.”
What is a passive verb?
A passive verb has the action being received by the subject.
“The horse was ridden by John.”
What are the guidelines or rules for the use of the active and passive voices of verbs?
There is really only one rule: the active and passive voices should not be used in the same sentence.
Using the verbs, "revise" and "approve", create both active and passive sentences.
“Mary revised the texts before submitting them for publication.” (active)
“The texts were revised by Mary before being submitted for publication.” (passive)
“I approve your text corrections.” (active)
“Your text corrections are approved by me.” (passive)
Wednesday
VERBALS - PARTICIPLES
A participle is a word that is part verb and part adjective.
A participle can act as a verb and show action and it can act as an adjective and modify a noun or pronoun.
A present participle, like fighting, describes a present condition; it usually ends in “ing”.
A past participle, such as rotted, describes something that has happened; it usually ends in “ed”.
“The fighting parson shot his boozing enemies.”
“The rotted tooth was extremely painful.”
Thursday
VERBALS - GERUNDS
A gerund is a word that is part verb and part noun.
A gerund can act as a verb and show action and it can act as a noun or pronoun; it can be subject of a verb or it can be object of a verb or preposition.
A gerund ends in “ing”.
“Seeing is believing.”
“The results of the fighting are two bloody noses and one sore fists.”
“I love playing.”
Friday
VERBALS - INFINITIVES
An infinitive is the root of a verb preceded by the word “to”, as in “to sing”, “to slave” or “to play”.
A present infinitive describes a current condition as in, “Seeing is believing”.
A perfect infinitive describes a condition earlier than that of the verb, as in “I would like to have played that match over”.
Infinitives generally act as nouns, so can be subjects of verbs or objects of prepositions and verbs.
“To die: that’s a consummation devoutly to be wished.”
“To see a good performance is a wonderful experience.”
“Her wish was to be reborn.”
A GOOD THOUGHT
Identify the author of the following.
“Purchase not friends by gifts; when thou ceasest to give, such will cease to love.”
Thomas Fuller, English clergyman & historian (1608 - 1661), created this line.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Recondite” (adj.) means incomprehensible to ordinary understanding, abstruse or obscure.
“Predilection” (n.) means liking, preferring or having a penchant or affinity for something.
“Ineffable” (adj.) means defying description, unutterable, unspeakable or unknown.
“Substantive” (n.) refers to a noun or pronoun that is used in place of a noun.
“Substantive” (adj.) means being the primary part or essence of a thing, a meaty discussion or essential.
“Deleterious” (adj.) means having an adverse effect on living things, hurtful or injurious.
Monday
COPULA VERBS
What is a copula verb?
What verbs can be considered copula verbs?
Explain the differences between a sentence with a copula verb and a normal sentence.
A copula verb is a linking verb connecting its subject with its complement which can be either an adjective or a noun. It is often a verb of being but can also be a verb relating to the five senses.
“Look”, “sound”, “smell”, “feel”, “taste”, “appear”, “seem” and “become” are all copula verbs.
“Grow”, “turn”, “prove” and “remain” can be copula verbs when they reflect a state of being.
"I am the man."
“I” is a pronoun and the subject.
“Am” is a copula verb showing being.
“The” is a definite article referring to “man”.
“Man” is a noun completing, or referring to the subject “I”.
"This room smells bad."
“This” is a pronoun, modifying the noun “room”.
“Room” is a noun, subject of the verb “smells”.
“Smells” is a copula verb having the subject “room”.
“Bad” is an adjective, completing the subject “room”. It is often called a predicate adjective.
Tuesday
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
What is an active verb?
An active verb has the subject doing the action.
“John rode the horse.”
What is a passive verb?
A passive verb has the action being received by the subject.
“The horse was ridden by John.”
What are the guidelines or rules for the use of the active and passive voices of verbs?
There is really only one rule: the active and passive voices should not be used in the same sentence.
Using the verbs, "revise" and "approve", create both active and passive sentences.
“Mary revised the texts before submitting them for publication.” (active)
“The texts were revised by Mary before being submitted for publication.” (passive)
“I approve your text corrections.” (active)
“Your text corrections are approved by me.” (passive)
Wednesday
VERBALS - PARTICIPLES
A participle is a word that is part verb and part adjective.
A participle can act as a verb and show action and it can act as an adjective and modify a noun or pronoun.
A present participle, like fighting, describes a present condition; it usually ends in “ing”.
A past participle, such as rotted, describes something that has happened; it usually ends in “ed”.
“The fighting parson shot his boozing enemies.”
“The rotted tooth was extremely painful.”
Thursday
VERBALS - GERUNDS
A gerund is a word that is part verb and part noun.
A gerund can act as a verb and show action and it can act as a noun or pronoun; it can be subject of a verb or it can be object of a verb or preposition.
A gerund ends in “ing”.
“Seeing is believing.”
“The results of the fighting are two bloody noses and one sore fists.”
“I love playing.”
Friday
VERBALS - INFINITIVES
An infinitive is the root of a verb preceded by the word “to”, as in “to sing”, “to slave” or “to play”.
A present infinitive describes a current condition as in, “Seeing is believing”.
A perfect infinitive describes a condition earlier than that of the verb, as in “I would like to have played that match over”.
Infinitives generally act as nouns, so can be subjects of verbs or objects of prepositions and verbs.
“To die: that’s a consummation devoutly to be wished.”
“To see a good performance is a wonderful experience.”
“Her wish was to be reborn.”
A GOOD THOUGHT
Identify the author of the following.
“Purchase not friends by gifts; when thou ceasest to give, such will cease to love.”
Thomas Fuller, English clergyman & historian (1608 - 1661), created this line.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Recondite” (adj.) means incomprehensible to ordinary understanding, abstruse or obscure.
“Predilection” (n.) means liking, preferring or having a penchant or affinity for something.
“Ineffable” (adj.) means defying description, unutterable, unspeakable or unknown.
“Substantive” (n.) refers to a noun or pronoun that is used in place of a noun.
“Substantive” (adj.) means being the primary part or essence of a thing, a meaty discussion or essential.
“Deleterious” (adj.) means having an adverse effect on living things, hurtful or injurious.
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