VERACIOUS/VORACIOUS
Define and explain the difference between the words "veracious" and "voracious".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences using "veracious" and "voracious".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "debilitate".
What part of speech is "debilitate"?
Define "debilitate" and use it in a sentence.
Identify two other forms of the word and be sure to state what part of speech each is.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
MY KINGDOM FOR A SENTENCE!
HOW MANY?
Identify and correct the errors in the three examples below.
"Taping a knob onto the end of his stick as he prepared for practice at the WFCU Centre, little seems to separate Ryan Baldwin from the rest of his Spitfires teammates."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
"Planning for parenthood. Planning for the future."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
"The two o'clock feedings, the diaper changing - all part of Baldwin's daily chores."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "copious".
What part of speech is "copious"?
Define "copious" and use it in a sentence.
Identify and correct the errors in the three examples below.
"Taping a knob onto the end of his stick as he prepared for practice at the WFCU Centre, little seems to separate Ryan Baldwin from the rest of his Spitfires teammates."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
"Planning for parenthood. Planning for the future."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
"The two o'clock feedings, the diaper changing - all part of Baldwin's daily chores."
Bob Duff, "Player balancing fatherhood, OHL", The Windsor Star, Thursday, September 24, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "copious".
What part of speech is "copious"?
Define "copious" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
SOME GOOD CHALLENGES
HOW MANY ERRORS?
Read the following and find and correct the errors. Be sure to give reasons for your choices.
"The two suspects fled the premises when the officers arrived, and after a brief chase the couple were arrested."
National Briefs, "Two arrested in Algonquin deaths", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, September 23, 2009.
OFT HEARD - BUT WHO COINED IT?
Identify the author of the following quote.
“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "lascivious".
What part of speech is "lascivious"?
Define "lascivious" and use it in a sentence.
Read the following and find and correct the errors. Be sure to give reasons for your choices.
"The two suspects fled the premises when the officers arrived, and after a brief chase the couple were arrested."
National Briefs, "Two arrested in Algonquin deaths", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, September 23, 2009.
OFT HEARD - BUT WHO COINED IT?
Identify the author of the following quote.
“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "lascivious".
What part of speech is "lascivious"?
Define "lascivious" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
EASY TUESDAY
INTERMENT/INTERNMENT
Define and explain the difference between "interment" and "internment".
Create a sentence for each word that clearly shows the meaning of the word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "diminution".
What part of speech is "diminution"?
Define "diminution" and use it in a sentence.
Define and explain the difference between "interment" and "internment".
Create a sentence for each word that clearly shows the meaning of the word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "diminution".
What part of speech is "diminution"?
Define "diminution" and use it in a sentence.
Monday, September 21, 2009
A GOOD CHALLENGE
PRONOUNS
What is a pronoun and what is its function?
What are the four classifications of pronouns? Identify an example of each.
Create a sentence for each of the four classifications.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "querulous".
What par tof speech is "querulous"?
Define "querulous" and use it in a sentence.
What is a pronoun and what is its function?
What are the four classifications of pronouns? Identify an example of each.
Create a sentence for each of the four classifications.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "querulous".
What par tof speech is "querulous"?
Define "querulous" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - September 20, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries. I told you they would be late Sunday.
Monday
MUTE POINT/MOOT POINT
A “moot point” can be a point worth discussing at a meeting or in court such as an unresolved question or it can be the opposite: a point already settled and not worth discussing further.
“Mute point” is simply wrong and cannot be used.
Tuesday
ABBREVIATIONS
All of these short forms are Latin in derivation.
The short form, “etc.”, is et cetera, meaning “and so on”.
“He had a list of food he wanted: oranges, pears, bananas, etc.”
The short form, “e.g.”, means “for example”.
I like everything about her; e.g., I really like her hair.”
The short form, “et. al.”, and “et alii” (pl.), means “and others”.
I have read several works by Dickens such as “A Tale of Two Cities”, “A Christmas Carol”, et. alii.”
The short form, “N. B.” stands for “Nota Bene” and means note well”. Note the necessary capitalization.
“N.B., my name is spelled ‘Michael’, not ‘Micheal’.”
The short form, “op.”, stands for “opus” or “work”, usually of art.
"Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, op. 125, is really beautiful."
The short form, “viz.”, stands for “vidilicet” and means “namely”.
The short form, “i.e.”, stands for “id est” and means “that is”.
I said I would do it, i.e., I will rewrite the test.”
Wednesday
TRAGEDY/TRAVESTY
A “travesty” (n.) is a disaster that could be described as a farce or a degraded imitation. It is also a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations. It is also related to”transvestite”. (I’m not going there because I am not trying to insult anyone.)
A “travesty” (v.) means to make a parody of something or someone.
“It is a travesty that he is being considered for office.”
A “tragedy” is a piece of drama in which the hero loses. It is an accident, a cataclysm or a catastrophe.
“Macbeth” and “Hamlet” are great tragedies by Shakespeare .
Thursday
ASCRIBE/SUBSCRIBE
“Ascribe” means to attribute or to attach, rightly or wrongly, a belief to someone.
“Subscribe” means to agree with a theory or idea1 of someone or to order a magazine or newspaper.
Friday
RELUCTANT/RETICENT
“Reluctant” means a reluctance to express emotion, loath to admit a mistake or an unwillingness to face facts.
“Reticent” denotes only an aversion or unwillingness to speak.
A DEEP THOUGHT
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
Marshall McLuhan authored those words.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
A “mummer” (n.) is an actor who communicates entirely by gesture or facial expression, a mime or one who wears a mask or fantastical disguise.
The words “mummery”, “mummy” and “mummify” have the same root.
“Castigate” (v.) means to chasten, to chastise or to correct.
“Nihilism” (n.) refers to a doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake. It also means a complete denial of established authority and institutions.
“Categorical” (adj.) means not modified or restricted by reservations or unconditional or unqualified acceptance.
“Polyglot” (n.) refers to a person who speaks more than one language.
The root is “poly”, meaning many.
Monday
MUTE POINT/MOOT POINT
A “moot point” can be a point worth discussing at a meeting or in court such as an unresolved question or it can be the opposite: a point already settled and not worth discussing further.
“Mute point” is simply wrong and cannot be used.
Tuesday
ABBREVIATIONS
All of these short forms are Latin in derivation.
The short form, “etc.”, is et cetera, meaning “and so on”.
“He had a list of food he wanted: oranges, pears, bananas, etc.”
The short form, “e.g.”, means “for example”.
I like everything about her; e.g., I really like her hair.”
The short form, “et. al.”, and “et alii” (pl.), means “and others”.
I have read several works by Dickens such as “A Tale of Two Cities”, “A Christmas Carol”, et. alii.”
The short form, “N. B.” stands for “Nota Bene” and means note well”. Note the necessary capitalization.
“N.B., my name is spelled ‘Michael’, not ‘Micheal’.”
The short form, “op.”, stands for “opus” or “work”, usually of art.
"Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, op. 125, is really beautiful."
The short form, “viz.”, stands for “vidilicet” and means “namely”.
The short form, “i.e.”, stands for “id est” and means “that is”.
I said I would do it, i.e., I will rewrite the test.”
Wednesday
TRAGEDY/TRAVESTY
A “travesty” (n.) is a disaster that could be described as a farce or a degraded imitation. It is also a comedy characterized by broad satire and improbable situations. It is also related to”transvestite”. (I’m not going there because I am not trying to insult anyone.)
A “travesty” (v.) means to make a parody of something or someone.
“It is a travesty that he is being considered for office.”
A “tragedy” is a piece of drama in which the hero loses. It is an accident, a cataclysm or a catastrophe.
“Macbeth” and “Hamlet” are great tragedies by Shakespeare .
Thursday
ASCRIBE/SUBSCRIBE
“Ascribe” means to attribute or to attach, rightly or wrongly, a belief to someone.
“Subscribe” means to agree with a theory or idea1 of someone or to order a magazine or newspaper.
Friday
RELUCTANT/RETICENT
“Reluctant” means a reluctance to express emotion, loath to admit a mistake or an unwillingness to face facts.
“Reticent” denotes only an aversion or unwillingness to speak.
A DEEP THOUGHT
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
Marshall McLuhan authored those words.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
A “mummer” (n.) is an actor who communicates entirely by gesture or facial expression, a mime or one who wears a mask or fantastical disguise.
The words “mummery”, “mummy” and “mummify” have the same root.
“Castigate” (v.) means to chasten, to chastise or to correct.
“Nihilism” (n.) refers to a doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake. It also means a complete denial of established authority and institutions.
“Categorical” (adj.) means not modified or restricted by reservations or unconditional or unqualified acceptance.
“Polyglot” (n.) refers to a person who speaks more than one language.
The root is “poly”, meaning many.
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