RELUCTANT/RETICENT
Define "reluctant" and "reticent" and explain the difference between the two words.
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences for "reluctant" and "reticent" that clearly show their respective meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "polyglot".
What part of speech is "polyglot"?
What is the root part that gives a clue to the meaning?
Define "polyglot" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted late Sunday.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
NOT AS EASY AS YOU THINK
ASCRIBE/SUBSCRIBE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "ascribe" and "subscribe".
Create sentences for each word to illustrate the correct meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "categorical".
What part of speech is "categorical"?
Define "categorical" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "ascribe" and "subscribe".
Create sentences for each word to illustrate the correct meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "categorical".
What part of speech is "categorical"?
Define "categorical" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
GOOD CHALLENGES
TRAGEDY/TRAVESTY
Explain the difference in meaning and use for the words "travesty" and "tragedy".
Try to give more than one meaning for each word.
Use each word in a sentence.
A DEEP THOUGHT
Think carefully about the following and then try to identify the author.
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "nihilism".
What part of speech is "nihilism"?
Define "nihilism" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference in meaning and use for the words "travesty" and "tragedy".
Try to give more than one meaning for each word.
Use each word in a sentence.
A DEEP THOUGHT
Think carefully about the following and then try to identify the author.
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "nihilism".
What part of speech is "nihilism"?
Define "nihilism" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
INTERESTING CHALLENGE
ABBREVIATIONS
Identify the correct and full meaning of the following abbreviations:
etc.
e.g.
et. al.
N. B.
op.
viz.
i.e.
Identify the root of each of the above terms.
Create a correctly structured sentence for each term.
You get a smiley sticker if you can identify all correctly.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "castigate".
What part of speech is "castigate"?
Define "castigate" and use it in a sentence.
Identify the correct and full meaning of the following abbreviations:
etc.
e.g.
et. al.
N. B.
op.
viz.
i.e.
Identify the root of each of the above terms.
Create a correctly structured sentence for each term.
You get a smiley sticker if you can identify all correctly.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "castigate".
What part of speech is "castigate"?
Define "castigate" and use it in a sentence.
Monday, September 14, 2009
MERRY MONDAY - BE VERY DISCERNING
MUTE POINT/MOOT POINT
Identify the meaning and use of the terms "mute point" and "moot point".
Create sentences that clearly exhibit the meaning of each term.
TODAY'S WORD
Here is another of those old words that is seldom used but which has a great onomatopoetic sound.
The word for today is "mummer".
What part of speech is "mummer"?
Define "mummer" and use it in a sentence.
Identify and define three other words that use the root form of "mummer".
Identify the meaning and use of the terms "mute point" and "moot point".
Create sentences that clearly exhibit the meaning of each term.
TODAY'S WORD
Here is another of those old words that is seldom used but which has a great onomatopoetic sound.
The word for today is "mummer".
What part of speech is "mummer"?
Define "mummer" and use it in a sentence.
Identify and define three other words that use the root form of "mummer".
Sunday, September 13, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - September 13, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Tuesday
Find and correct the error in the following piece.
“If their tour bus hadn't have hit a patch of black ice on a Minnesota highway and flipped into a ditch, they may never have set foot on the Battala Rock star stage.”
The past perfect tense is tricky; “hadn’t have hit” is overkill because there are too many variations of “have”.
“If their tour bus hadn't hit a patch of black ice on a Minnesota highway and flipped into a ditch, they may never have set foot on the Battala Rock star stage.”
Wednesday
COLONS
A colon is used before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand be itself.
“There are three skills to master if you want to play baseball: hitting, catching and throwing.”
A colon can be used to separate an independent clause from a quotation.
“Lady Macbeth revealed her evil ambition in her soliloquy: ‘The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements’.”
SEMI-COLONS
The semi-colon is used as a connection between two or more independent clauses that are related.
“My wife will not sit in the upper deck ; she is afraid of heights.”
The semi-colon is used to separate clauses in a long list. Note the use of the colon to start the list.
“She collected souvenirs from every place she visited: theatre memorabilia from Stratford; oil rig statues from Texas; waterfall pictures from Niagara; and model cars from Detroit.”
Thursday
DOUBT THAT/DOUBT WHETHER/DOUBT IF
“Doubt that” should be used if you think something is untrue.
“I doubt that he lost twenty five pounds in two weeks.”
“Doubt whether” is used to express uncertainty.
“I doubt whether the game will be finished because of the turbulent weather.”
“Doubt if” can be used instead of “doubt whether” but it is more casual. It cannot be used in place of “doubt that”.
“I doubt if she really cares about me.”
Friday
GRATIS/GRATUITOUS
“Gratis” (adj. or adv.) means costing nothing, complimentary or free.
“The show tickets were gratis.” (adj.)
“I will give you show tickets gratis.” (adv.)
“Gratuitous” (adj.) means undeserved, unearned, obnoxious or needless. It can be used in place of “gratis” but it usually has a negative or self-serving connotation.
“Her feigned kindness to the rookie cheerleader was gratuitous and hurtful.”
THINK ABOUT THIS ONE
“Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.”
Henry David Thoreau, US author (1817 - 1862), wrote this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Plurality” (n.) means a relative majority, a large number or a multitude. In politics, when there are three or more candidates, the excess of votes received by the leading candidate over the votes received by the next candidate is called a plurality.
“Antithesis” (n.) means the exact opposite, the converse as in a thesis that is the opposite of another thesis.
“Malingerer” (n.) refers to a skulker or someone who is absent from or shirks his duty.
“Antipathy” (n.) is a feeling of intense dislike, an aversion, a distaste or an abhorrence of someone or something.
The roots are: “anti” which means against; and “-pathy”, a noun element which refers to suffering or feelings. Note the similarity to the word “antithesis” above.
Tuesday
Find and correct the error in the following piece.
“If their tour bus hadn't have hit a patch of black ice on a Minnesota highway and flipped into a ditch, they may never have set foot on the Battala Rock star stage.”
The past perfect tense is tricky; “hadn’t have hit” is overkill because there are too many variations of “have”.
“If their tour bus hadn't hit a patch of black ice on a Minnesota highway and flipped into a ditch, they may never have set foot on the Battala Rock star stage.”
Wednesday
COLONS
A colon is used before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand be itself.
“There are three skills to master if you want to play baseball: hitting, catching and throwing.”
A colon can be used to separate an independent clause from a quotation.
“Lady Macbeth revealed her evil ambition in her soliloquy: ‘The raven himself is hoarse that croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan under my battlements’.”
SEMI-COLONS
The semi-colon is used as a connection between two or more independent clauses that are related.
“My wife will not sit in the upper deck ; she is afraid of heights.”
The semi-colon is used to separate clauses in a long list. Note the use of the colon to start the list.
“She collected souvenirs from every place she visited: theatre memorabilia from Stratford; oil rig statues from Texas; waterfall pictures from Niagara; and model cars from Detroit.”
Thursday
DOUBT THAT/DOUBT WHETHER/DOUBT IF
“Doubt that” should be used if you think something is untrue.
“I doubt that he lost twenty five pounds in two weeks.”
“Doubt whether” is used to express uncertainty.
“I doubt whether the game will be finished because of the turbulent weather.”
“Doubt if” can be used instead of “doubt whether” but it is more casual. It cannot be used in place of “doubt that”.
“I doubt if she really cares about me.”
Friday
GRATIS/GRATUITOUS
“Gratis” (adj. or adv.) means costing nothing, complimentary or free.
“The show tickets were gratis.” (adj.)
“I will give you show tickets gratis.” (adv.)
“Gratuitous” (adj.) means undeserved, unearned, obnoxious or needless. It can be used in place of “gratis” but it usually has a negative or self-serving connotation.
“Her feigned kindness to the rookie cheerleader was gratuitous and hurtful.”
THINK ABOUT THIS ONE
“Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.”
Henry David Thoreau, US author (1817 - 1862), wrote this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Plurality” (n.) means a relative majority, a large number or a multitude. In politics, when there are three or more candidates, the excess of votes received by the leading candidate over the votes received by the next candidate is called a plurality.
“Antithesis” (n.) means the exact opposite, the converse as in a thesis that is the opposite of another thesis.
“Malingerer” (n.) refers to a skulker or someone who is absent from or shirks his duty.
“Antipathy” (n.) is a feeling of intense dislike, an aversion, a distaste or an abhorrence of someone or something.
The roots are: “anti” which means against; and “-pathy”, a noun element which refers to suffering or feelings. Note the similarity to the word “antithesis” above.
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