BREACH/BREECH
Explain the difference between the words "breach" and "breech".
What part of speech is each word?
Use "breach" and "breech" in sentences that clearly reveal their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "bravado".
What part of speech is "bravado"?
Define "bravado" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
CORRECT STRUCTURE REQUIRED
HEADLINE SENTENCE WRITING
Read the following excerpt and identify the errors in it. It reflects a type of journalism that is pervading writers and newsreaders and it is insidiously destroying correct English usage.
I do not accept this lame form of communication and will rail against it until I die because it only serves to lead us to accept ignorance and shoddy writing techniques.
Now that my diatribe is finished, correct the errors in the piece. Give reasons for your choices.
"As many as 200 corporate and private planes lined up at Windsor Airport. Luxury hotel rooms and restaurants filled to capacity. Jet-setters from around the world descending on Windsor."
Editorial opinion, "Red Bull's return", The Windsor Star, Thursday, January 28, 2010.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "obnoxious".
What part of speech is "obnoxious"?
Define "obnoxious" and use it in a sentence.
Read the following excerpt and identify the errors in it. It reflects a type of journalism that is pervading writers and newsreaders and it is insidiously destroying correct English usage.
I do not accept this lame form of communication and will rail against it until I die because it only serves to lead us to accept ignorance and shoddy writing techniques.
Now that my diatribe is finished, correct the errors in the piece. Give reasons for your choices.
"As many as 200 corporate and private planes lined up at Windsor Airport. Luxury hotel rooms and restaurants filled to capacity. Jet-setters from around the world descending on Windsor."
Editorial opinion, "Red Bull's return", The Windsor Star, Thursday, January 28, 2010.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "obnoxious".
What part of speech is "obnoxious"?
Define "obnoxious" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
GOOD WORDS - INTERESTING IDEA
REEK/WREAK
Explain the difference between the words "reek" and "wreak".
What part of speech is each word?
Use "reek" and "wreak" in sentences that clearly express their different meanings.
TOO CYNICAL?
Identify the author of the following observation.
“It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "quixotic".
What part of speech is "quixotic"?
Define "quixotic" and use it in a sentence.
What other part of speech can this word be?
Explain the difference between the words "reek" and "wreak".
What part of speech is each word?
Use "reek" and "wreak" in sentences that clearly express their different meanings.
TOO CYNICAL?
Identify the author of the following observation.
“It has been said that man is a rational animal. All my life I have been searching for evidence which could support this.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "quixotic".
What part of speech is "quixotic"?
Define "quixotic" and use it in a sentence.
What other part of speech can this word be?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
THE "Cs" HAVE IT
COMPLIMENT/COMPLEMENT
Explain the difference in meanings and use of the words "compliment" and "complement".
There could be several meanings for these words; try to list at least two for each.
Create sentences for "compliment" and "complement" that express the meanings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "capricious".
What part of speech is "capricious"?
Define "capricious" and use it in a sentence.
Identify two other forms of this word.
Explain the difference in meanings and use of the words "compliment" and "complement".
There could be several meanings for these words; try to list at least two for each.
Create sentences for "compliment" and "complement" that express the meanings of the words.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "capricious".
What part of speech is "capricious"?
Define "capricious" and use it in a sentence.
Identify two other forms of this word.
Monday, January 25, 2010
MONDAY'S MOTLEY MIX
SOLID/STOLID
Explain the difference between the words "solid" and "stolid".
What part of speech is each word?
Use "solid" and "stolid" in sentences that clearly display their respective meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "vituperate".
What part of speech is "vituperate"?
Define "vituperate" and use it in a sentence.
List three other forms in which the word can be used.
BONUS
Explain why "motley" in today's alliterative heading is appropriate.
Explain the difference between the words "solid" and "stolid".
What part of speech is each word?
Use "solid" and "stolid" in sentences that clearly display their respective meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "vituperate".
What part of speech is "vituperate"?
Define "vituperate" and use it in a sentence.
List three other forms in which the word can be used.
BONUS
Explain why "motley" in today's alliterative heading is appropriate.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - January 24, 2010
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's posts.
Monday
OPPRESSION/REPRESSION/SUPPRESSION
“Oppression” is the act of subjugating by cruelty or keeping down by unjust use of force or authority. It is always bad and implies serious persecution.
“The dictator was quilty of extreme cruelty in the oppression of the people.”
“Repression” refers to keeping things under control and can sometimes be a good thing. It can also be a type of defence mechanism to protect oneself.
“I will repress the temptation to jeer at his immaturity even though he should be stopped.”
“Suppression” refers to witholding from publication, to abolish or to stop.
“Suppression of embarrassing and critical blogging is systematically carried out in communist China.”
Identify and correct the error in the following piece.
“Especially when that player is being compared to himself.”
The context is that a great, young player should not be compared to other great players and this should be avoided. But, I am not even sure this sentence makes sense even within the context. Read it carefully and then draw your own conclusions. Irrespective of any context, it is still an incomplete thought.
“A young player should not be compared to the greats of the game, especially when that player is being compared to himself.”
Tuesday
MISLEAD/MISLED
“Mislead” is the present tense of the verb “to mislead”.
“Misled” is the past tense of the same verb.
They are not interchangeable.
“So when you mislead your lawyer, you have actually misled him.”
Wednesday
DEMUR/DEMURE
“Demur” is a verb meaning to resist answering questions, to disagree or to differ with.
“I do not like the tone of your questions and I demur answering them.”
“Demure” (adj.) refers to a quiet, reserved person.
“She was a beautiful and demure cherub.”
Thursday
ENAMOURED BY/ENAMOURED OF/ENAMOURED WITH
“Enamoured of” and “enamoured with” are acceptable choices.
If you say “enamoured by” someone or something, you are saying he or it is crazy about you. Would you like to be enamoured by a skunk?
Friday
Find and correct the error in the following piece.
“About 15 minutes later, two men wearing ski masks busted through a side door.”
“Bust” and “busted”, when used as verbs, are not correct and should be avoided. The correct form is “burst”.
“About 15 minutes later, two men wearing ski masks burst through a side door.”
HOW TRUE IS THIS?
“We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.”
Francois de La Rochefoucauld, a French author penned this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Debilitate” (v.) means to drain, to make feeble, to fatigue or to wear down.
“Debilitation” is the noun form.
“Debilitative” is the adjective form.
“Debility” is another noun form.
“Mythomania” (n.) refers to lying or exaggerating to an abnormal degree.
“Depredation” (n.) refers to the act of plundering, preying upon or robbing.
“Depredate” is the verb form.
“Depredatory” is the adjective form.
“Depredator” is the noun form referring to someone who lays waste or plunders.
“Empirical” (adj.) means guided by or derived from experience or depending upon experience or observation alone, without using science.
“Empiricism” is a philosophy espousing the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from experience.
“Vindictive” (adj.) Means vengeful, rancourous or showing deep-seated resentment.
“Vindictiveness” is the noun form.
Ironically, “vindication” (n.) and “vindicate” (v.) mean to uphold or justify by argument or evidence.
Monday
OPPRESSION/REPRESSION/SUPPRESSION
“Oppression” is the act of subjugating by cruelty or keeping down by unjust use of force or authority. It is always bad and implies serious persecution.
“The dictator was quilty of extreme cruelty in the oppression of the people.”
“Repression” refers to keeping things under control and can sometimes be a good thing. It can also be a type of defence mechanism to protect oneself.
“I will repress the temptation to jeer at his immaturity even though he should be stopped.”
“Suppression” refers to witholding from publication, to abolish or to stop.
“Suppression of embarrassing and critical blogging is systematically carried out in communist China.”
Identify and correct the error in the following piece.
“Especially when that player is being compared to himself.”
The context is that a great, young player should not be compared to other great players and this should be avoided. But, I am not even sure this sentence makes sense even within the context. Read it carefully and then draw your own conclusions. Irrespective of any context, it is still an incomplete thought.
“A young player should not be compared to the greats of the game, especially when that player is being compared to himself.”
Tuesday
MISLEAD/MISLED
“Mislead” is the present tense of the verb “to mislead”.
“Misled” is the past tense of the same verb.
They are not interchangeable.
“So when you mislead your lawyer, you have actually misled him.”
Wednesday
DEMUR/DEMURE
“Demur” is a verb meaning to resist answering questions, to disagree or to differ with.
“I do not like the tone of your questions and I demur answering them.”
“Demure” (adj.) refers to a quiet, reserved person.
“She was a beautiful and demure cherub.”
Thursday
ENAMOURED BY/ENAMOURED OF/ENAMOURED WITH
“Enamoured of” and “enamoured with” are acceptable choices.
If you say “enamoured by” someone or something, you are saying he or it is crazy about you. Would you like to be enamoured by a skunk?
Friday
Find and correct the error in the following piece.
“About 15 minutes later, two men wearing ski masks busted through a side door.”
“Bust” and “busted”, when used as verbs, are not correct and should be avoided. The correct form is “burst”.
“About 15 minutes later, two men wearing ski masks burst through a side door.”
HOW TRUE IS THIS?
“We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.”
Francois de La Rochefoucauld, a French author penned this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Debilitate” (v.) means to drain, to make feeble, to fatigue or to wear down.
“Debilitation” is the noun form.
“Debilitative” is the adjective form.
“Debility” is another noun form.
“Mythomania” (n.) refers to lying or exaggerating to an abnormal degree.
“Depredation” (n.) refers to the act of plundering, preying upon or robbing.
“Depredate” is the verb form.
“Depredatory” is the adjective form.
“Depredator” is the noun form referring to someone who lays waste or plunders.
“Empirical” (adj.) means guided by or derived from experience or depending upon experience or observation alone, without using science.
“Empiricism” is a philosophy espousing the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from experience.
“Vindictive” (adj.) Means vengeful, rancourous or showing deep-seated resentment.
“Vindictiveness” is the noun form.
Ironically, “vindication” (n.) and “vindicate” (v.) mean to uphold or justify by argument or evidence.
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