tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456789273996793882024-03-05T00:38:14.359-05:00Michael's English UsageGrammar! Punctuation! Word Use & Misuse!Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.comBlogger888125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-12617233196579689342010-05-18T12:21:00.001-04:002010-05-18T12:22:37.985-04:00MICHAEL'S ENGLISH USAGE IS ALIVE<div style="color: red; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW RSS FEED</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">Please make the appropriate changes and enjoy the site. </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-35987099263100770022010-05-12T11:12:00.000-04:002010-05-12T11:12:25.254-04:00NEW RSS FEED<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW RSS FEED</span></strong><br />
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<strong>Michael's English is alive and active and has a new RSS feed.</strong><br />
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<strong>Please redirect to </strong><strong><a href="http://michaelsenglishusage.com/">michaelsenglishusage.com</a></strong><br />
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<strong>I hope everyone will return and keep up the fight.</strong><br />
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<br />
<strong>Michael Lyons</strong>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-1433483356865183472010-04-23T08:18:00.000-04:002010-04-23T08:18:07.227-04:00CHANGE IS COMING<div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>EXCITING EVENT</b></span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MICHAEL'S ENGLISH USAGE</b></span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>NEW DESIGN & NEW SERVER</b></i></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b> </b></i></span></div><br />
We are still working on the new chapter for <b>Michael's English Usage.</b> We are transferring to a new server and will present a completely redesigned and expanded format.<br />
<br />
<b>Michael's English Usage</b> has recently celebrated the completion of three years of posts and this entry is number 894. We will have created 900 posts within the next two weeks and are very proud of that accomplishment.<br />
<br />
The new format will provide direct <b>Twitter</b> and <b>Facebook</b> contact and use, and I encourage you to make use of these new tools and to make suggestions for topics to be discussed.<br />
<br />
An exciting new feature will be the ability to advertise on <b>Michael's English Usage</b>, and I hope people and companies will take advantage of this opportunity.<br />
<br />
A great new feature will be an internal search engine which will allow specific access to past post content. As a result, the speed of finding previous topics will be fantastically streamlined. <br />
<br />
As always, readers will have the opportunity to subscribe to <b>Michael's English Usage</b> and I hope many will take advantage of this.<br />
<br />
The newly formatted <b>Michael's English Usage</b> will be up and running over the weekend. Please enjoy the new format. Visit us often. The address will be the same. The content will have the same mandate. And remember: proper English usage is not a dead concept.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your support. I hope you continue to visit.<br />
<br />
<i>Michael Lyons </i><br />
<div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">INCISIVE/DECISIVE </span></b></span></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Explain the difference in meaning between the words "<b>incisive</b>" and "<b>decisive</b>".</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Create sentences that depict the correct meaning of each word.</span></span></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> </span><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>PET PEEVE</b></span></div><br />
<i>Chances are good that you can guess what the pet peeve is. </i><br />
<i>The question is, "What makes it so peevish, and incidentally, so wrong?"</i><br />
<br />
"At the time Bain went missing, Bernardo had committed a series of sexual assaults in her area."<br />
<i>Dalson Chen, City law firm files $13M lawsuit in wrongful conviction", Friday, April 23, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>TODAY'S WORD</b><br />
<br />
The word for today is "<b>ephemeral</b>"<br />
Define "<b>ephemeral</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
What part of speech is "<b>ephemeral</b>"?<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i>CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS</i></b><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.</i>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-76776123841995074652010-04-22T09:21:00.002-04:002010-04-22T20:59:44.619-04:00GRAMMAR GEEK GLEE<div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>EXCITING EVENT</b></span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MICHAEL'S ENGLISH USAGE</b></span></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>NEW DESIGN</b></i></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span></div><div style="color: #38761d; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>NEW SERVER</b></i></span></div><br />
Tomorrow will mark the beginning of a new chapter for <b>Michael's English Usage</b> because we will be transferring to a new server and will present a completely redesigned and expanded format.<br />
<br />
<b>Michael's English Usage</b> has recently celebrated the completion of three years of posts and this entry is number 893. We will have made 900 posts in the next two weeks and are very proud of that accomplishment.<br />
<br />
The new format will provide direct <b>Twitter</b> and <b>Facebook</b> contact and use, and I encourage you to make use of these new tools and to make suggestions for topics to be discussed.<br />
<br />
An exciting new feature will be the ability to advertise on <b>Michael's English Usage</b>, and I hope people and companies will take advantage of this opportunity.<br />
<br />
A great new feature will be an internal search engine which will allow specific access to past post content. As a result, the speed of finding previous topics will be fantastically streamlined. <br />
<br />
As always, readers will have the opportunity to subscribe to <b>Michael's English Usage</b> and I hope many will take advantage of this.<br />
<br />
The newly formatted <b>Michael's English Usage</b> will be up and running over the next two days. Please enjoy the new format. Visit us often. The address will be the same. The content will have the same mandate. And remember: proper English usage is not a dead concept.<br />
<br />
Thank you for your support. I hope you continue to visit.<br />
<br />
<i>Michael Lyons</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">RAISON D’ĒTRE</b><br />
<i>Identify and correct error in the following piece.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Bonus # 1</b>: identify the irony in this entry.<br />
<i>Bonus # 2</i>: identify how this example epitomizes Michael's English Usage.<br />
<br />
"In schools the need could not be more urgent. More than one in three adults in the nation's capital are illiterate."<br />
<i>Nora O'Donnell, NBC Evening News with Brian Williams, Wednesday, April 21, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>momentous</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>momentous</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>momentous</b>" and use it in a sentence.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-66129627446160692122010-04-21T08:32:00.001-04:002010-04-22T20:58:43.806-04:00MIXED BAG OF WORD THOUGHTS<b style="color: blue;">FEELINGS FOR/FEELINGS ABOUT</b><br />
<b style="color: blue;"></b><br />
<div style="color: black;">Explain the difference in meaning between "<b>feelings for</b>" and "<b>feelings about</b>".</div><div style="color: black;">Create a sentence that displays the correct meaning of "<b>feelings for</b>".</div><div style="color: black;">Create a sentence that displays the correct meaning of "<b>feelings about</b>".</div><b style="color: blue;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="color: blue;"> WOW! WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT</b><br />
<br />
<i>Identify the author of the following truism.</i><br />
<br />
“Many persons have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"></div><div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>eschew</b>".<br />
Define "<b>eschew</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
What part of speech is "<b>eschew</b>"?<br />
List two noun forms of "<b>eschew</b>".Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-51898901084072997712010-04-20T08:48:00.001-04:002010-04-22T15:27:52.718-04:00I LOVE SARCASM<div style="color: blue;"><b>ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF FINE PROFESSIONAL WRITING</b></div><br />
<i>Find and correct the error in the following piece. Be sure to cite the applicable rule.</i><br />
<div style="color: red;"><i><b style="color: black;">BONUS</b>: feel free to LOL if you identify and understand the irony of this entry.</i></div><br />
"So much so that the powers of the Internet have been harnessed to create a punctuation mark intended to show when a sentence is sarcastic."<br />
<i>Mike Barber, Canwest News Service, "Sarcasm mark patented", The Windsor Star, Tuesday, April 20, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>bilious</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>bilious</b>".<br />
Define "<b>bilious</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
What is the root of the word?<br />
What other parts of speech can be made with "<b>bilious</b>"?<br />
Apply the definition of "<b>bilious</b>" to the example of professional writing listed above.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-13798012846974385662010-04-19T08:19:00.000-04:002010-04-19T08:19:48.505-04:00WOEFUL WRITING<div style="color: blue;"><b>ANOTHER "PROFESSIONAL" CONTRIBUTION</b></div><br />
<i>Identify, explain and correct the error in the following piece.</i><br />
<br />
"Which surely obliges them to be straight with people about the limitations of the anti-HST initiatives."<br />
<i>Vaughn Palmer, Guest Column, "B.C. deals with the HST", The Windsor Star, Monday, April 19, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>indefatigable</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>indefatigable</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>indefatigable</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #660000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>REMEMBER THE FORMAT</b></span></div><br />
Five days a week, this blog presents grammar errors, sentence structure errors, punctuation errors, word misuses and abuses and a word for the day. You are asked to identify the errors and correct them and to define and use the word of the day. On the Sunday after each week's entries, the corrections and explanations are posted.<br />
<br />
The concept is intentionally Socratic and is intended to challenge you to think about correct English usage in daily communication and to review your responses each Sunday.<br />
<br />
The original catalyst for this blog was the appalling misuse of English by professional writers and newscasters. For three years they have provided the material for this blog and, unfortunately, I have all the faith in the world that they will continue to do so. Just listen for two minutes to any newscast by any news station in the country and you will understand.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-64000458489868948852010-04-18T08:37:00.000-04:002010-04-18T08:37:46.488-04:00CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - April 18, 2010<i>Here are the corrections and explanations for last week’s posts.</i><br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">Monday</b><br />
<br />
<i>Identify and correct the error in the following selection.</i><br />
<br />
“I was expecting to be one of the youngest in attendance but was surprised to find a decent amount of 20-somethings scattered in the crowd.”<br />
<br />
<i>How many times do I have to list this error? <br />
<br />
“<b>Amount</b>” words relate to quantities of things that are measured in bulk.<br />
“<b>Number</b>” words relate to things that can be counted.</i><br />
<br />
“I was expecting to be one of the youngest in attendance but was surprised to find a decent number of 20-somethings scattered in the crowd.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">Tuesday</b><br />
<br />
<b>CONTAMINATES/CONTAMINANTS</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Contaminates</b>” is a verb meaning to make impure or to pollute.<br />
<br />
“<b>Contaminants</b>” is a noun referring to a type of material or stuff that pollutes or makes impure.<br />
<br />
“<b>Contaminants</b>” is the goo; “<b>contaminates</b>” is the action.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">Wednesday</b><br />
<br />
<b>VAPID/VACUOUS</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Vapid</b>” is an adjective meaning dull, flat, lethargic or sluggishness or lacking in zest or liveliness.<br />
<br />
“<b>Vacuous</b>” is an adjective meaning inanely foolish, hollow or empty.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">Thursday</b><br />
<br />
<b>SHINED/SHONE</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Shined</b>” is the transitive form, meaning an object is required, of the verb “to shine”.<br />
“He shined his light on the old raccoon who was scavaging in the trash can.”<br />
<br />
“<b>Shone</b>” is used when the verb is intransitive, or lacking an object, or when the context merely speaks of the act of shining.<br />
“The sun shone intensely all day long.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">Friday</b><br />
<br />
<i>Correct the errors in the following. Be sure to explain what is wrong in each example.<br />
<b>Hint</b>: there are six.</i><br />
<br />
“I should of wrote that story yesterday so that I could of went to the ball game today.”<br />
<br />
<i>1. “<b>Of</b>” is incorrect. “<b>Of</b>” is a preposition; it can never be substituted for an auxiliary verb and, most definitely, cannot be used as a contraction for </i><i>“</i><i>have</i><i>”</i><i>.<br />
2. “<b>Wrote</b>” is incorrect. The participial form of “to write” is needed.<br />
3. The second “<b>of</b>” is incorrect. “<b>Of</b>” is a preposition; it can never be substituted for an auxiliary verb and, again, cannot be used as a contraction of </i><i>“</i><i>have</i><i>”</i><i>.<br />
4. “<b>Went</b>” is incorrect. “<b>Went</b>” cannot be used with an auxiliary verb such as “could”.</i><br />
<br />
“I should have written that story yesterday so that I could have gone to the ball game today.”<br />
<br />
<br />
“I was shocked when I seen what happened when I went in the room this morning.”<br />
<br />
<i>5. “<b>Seen</b>” is incorrect. The past tense of “to see” is “saw”.<br />
6. “<b>In</b>” is incorrect. There is a difference in meaning between “in” and “into”.</i> <i>The difference is between entering and exiting a room and toilet humour</i>.<br />
<br />
“I was shocked when I saw what happened when I went into the room this morning.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>PET PEEVE - THE/THEE</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Thee</b>” is an old form of the pronoun “thou”. It really is the objective case of “thou”.<br />
Today, it means “you”.<br />
“<b>Thee</b>” is pronounced as in “he”.<br />
“I give thee a lesson which you should heed.”<br />
<br />
“<b>The</b>” is known as a definite article.<br />
“<b>The</b>” denote a specific item or word as opposed the the indefinite article “<b>a</b>” which designates any item or word.<br />
“<b>The</b>”<b> </b>is pronounced as in “duh” and is NOT pronounced as in “he”.<br />
“The writing is on the wall that many people constantly mispronounce the definite article “the”.<br />
<br />
“<b>THE</b>” and “<b>THEE</b>” are NOT interchangeable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>WOW! HOW TRUE IS THIS!</b><br />
<br />
“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”<br />
<i><b>Isaac Asimov</b>, a US science fiction novelist and scholar who lived from 1920 to 1992 said this.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>LAST WEEK’S WORDS</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Redolent</b>” (adj.) means remindful, heedful, smelling of, perfumed or scented.<br />
<br />
“<b>Cosmology</b>” (n.) refers to the branch of philosophy concerned about the origin and general structure of the universe, its parts, elements and laws.<br />
“Cosmos” refers to the world or universe.<br />
“Logy” refers to combining forms of science, knowledge, thinking or studying.<br />
<br />
“<b>Voracious</b>” (adj.) means excessively greedy or grasping, devouring or craving.<br />
<br />
“<b>Vainglory</b>” (n.) refers to excessive ego, boastfulness, self-love or narcissism.<br />
The root is glory of vanity or pomp.<br />
“Vainglorious” is the adjective form.<br />
<br />
“<b>Savant</b>” (n.) refers to a man of learning, an intellectual or a scholar.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-69626649405111573052010-04-16T08:14:00.000-04:002010-04-16T08:14:04.257-04:00FRIDAY FUN?<div style="color: blue;"><b>ACTUAL LANGUAGE USE</b></div><br />
<i>Correct the errors in the following. Be sure to explain what is wrong in each example.</i><br />
<i><b>Hint</b>: there are six.</i><br />
<br />
"I should of wrote that story yesterday so that I could of went to the ball game today."<br />
<br />
"I was shocked when I seen what happened when I went in the room this morning."<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>PET PEEVE - THE/THEE</b></div><br />
What does "<b>thee</b>" mean?<br />
What part of speech is "<b>thee</b>"? <br />
How is "<b>thee</b>" pronounced?<br />
<br />
<br />
What does "<b>the</b>" mean?<br />
What part of speech is "<b>the</b>"?<br />
How is "<b>the</b>" pronounced?<br />
<br />
"<b>THE</b>" and ""<b>THEE</b>" are <b>NOT </b>interchangeable.<br />
So why do people pronounce "<b>the</b>" as "<b>thee</b>" when speaking?<br />
<br />
Wake up! Ignorance is not bliss!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>savant</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>savant</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>savant</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><i>CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS</i></b></div><br />
<i>Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday. </i>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-3656994780940430632010-04-15T08:50:00.000-04:002010-04-15T08:50:22.682-04:00A BANNER DAY FOR GRAMMAR<div style="color: #cc0000; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>RECOGNITION</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>Michael's English Usage</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">is honoured and proud to be included</div><div style="text-align: center;">in the university online review</div><div style="text-align: center;">as one of the<b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>top 50 blogs</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>for grammar geeks.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I recommend you access the site listed below</div><div style="text-align: center;">to gain further insights into</div><div style="text-align: center;">the correct use of the English language.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Keep the torch burning brightly! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/50-best-blogs-for-grammar-geeks.html">http://www.universityreviewsonline.com/2005/10/50-best-blogs-for-grammar-geeks.html</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: left;"><b>SHINED/SHONE</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Explain the different uses of the words "<b>shined</b>" and "<b>shone</b>".</div><div style="text-align: left;">What is the specific part of speech of each word?</div><div style="text-align: left;">Create sentences for "shined" and "<b>shone</b>" that clearly show the correct use of each word.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: left;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> The word for today is "<b>vainglory</b>".</div><div style="text-align: left;">What part of speech is "<b>vainglory</b>"?</div><div style="text-align: left;">What other parts of speech can you list of this word? </div><div style="text-align: left;">Define "<b>vainglory</b>" and use it in a sentence.</div><div style="text-align: left;">What is the root of the word?</div>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-45599171991537375042010-04-14T08:28:00.000-04:002010-04-14T08:28:32.265-04:00VERY EASY WORDS TODAY<b style="color: blue;">VAPID/VACUOUS</b><br />
<b style="color: blue;"> </b><br />
<div style="color: black;">Explain the difference between the words "<b>vacuous</b>" and "<b>vapid</b>".</div><div style="color: black;">What part of speech is each word?</div><div style="color: black;">Create sentences that clearly reveal the meanings of "<b>vapid</b>" and "<b>vacuous</b>".</div><b style="color: blue;"><br />
</b><br />
<b style="color: blue;">WOW! HOW TRUE IS THIS! </b><br />
<br />
<i>Identify the author of the following truism.</i><br />
<br />
“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>voracious</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>voracious</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>voracious</b>" and use it in a sentence.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-82359900794408408982010-04-13T07:59:00.001-04:002010-04-13T08:00:30.879-04:00THIS IS "C" DAY<div style="color: blue;"><b>CONTAMINATES/CONTAMINANTS</b></div><div style="color: blue;"><b> </b></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
<span style="color: black;">Explain the difference in meaning between the words "<b>contaminates</b>" and "<b>contaminants</b>".</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">What part of speech is each word?</span></div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black;">Create sentences using "<b>contaminates</b>" and "<b>contaminants</b>" that clearly show the meanings of each word.</span><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>cosmology</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>cosmology</b>"? <br />
Define "<b>cosmology</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
What is the root word of "<b>cosmology</b>"?<br />
Hint: if you know the root, the definition should be easy. What is it?<br />
Hint # 2: if you know the meaning of the word's suffix, the definition becomes even easier. What is it?Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-88662437636916396092010-04-12T08:12:00.000-04:002010-04-12T08:12:38.831-04:00GOOD MONDAY MORNING<b style="color: blue;">"WHEN WILL IT EVER END...?" </b><br />
<br />
<i>Identify and correct the error in the following selection.</i><br />
<br />
"I was expecting to be one of the youngest in attendance but was surprised to find a decent amount of 20-somethings scattered in the crowd."<br />
Dylan Kristy, "At 83, Rickles hasn't lost step", The Windsor Star, Monday, April 12, 2010.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>redolent</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>redolent</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>redolent</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
List two other parts of speech that can be formed from "<b>redolent</b>".Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-83669666881670802762010-04-11T08:22:00.000-04:002010-04-11T08:22:02.433-04:00CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - March 29 - April 9, 2010<i>Here are the corrections and explanations for the last two weeks of entries.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Monday, March 29</b></div><br />
<i>Identify each error and correct it.</i><br />
<br />
“The two of us were in on Windsor's casino explosion from Day 1: Myself as a reporter at city hall, where Windsor's public debate about casino gambling started in earnest in 1990. Andrews was part of a team of NDP public wonks sent down here by the Bob Rae government to open a ‘temporary’ casino.”<br />
<br />
<i>“Myself” is a reflexive pronoun and cannot be used in this example.</i><br />
<i>The colon suggests there is a list to follow, but the sentence ended with only one example. It should be rewritten.</i><br />
<br />
“The two of us were in on Windsor's casino explosion from Day 1. I was a reporter at city hall where Windsor's public debate about casino gambling started in earnest in 1990. Andrews was part of a team of NDP public wonks sent down here by the Bob Rae government to open a ‘temporary’ casino.”<br />
<br />
<i>Below is an alternate that is acceptable and correct.</i><br />
<br />
“The two of us were in on Windsor's casino explosion from Day 1: I, as a reporter at city hall where Windsor's public debate about casino gambling started in earnest in 1990; and Andrews, as part of a team of NDP public wonks sent down here by the Bob Rae government to open a ‘temporary’ casino.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Tuesday, March 30</b></div><br />
<b>ADAPT/ADOPT</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Adapt</b>”, a verb, means to write in a different form, to accommodate or make fit or to accept.<br />
“I will adapt to the new challenges and survive.”<br />
<br />
“<b>Adopt</b>”, a verb, means to take over, to borrow, to assume or take on titles.<br />
“I will adopt those children because I love them.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Wednesday, March 31</b></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Carefully read the following passage and find two errors. One should make you either laugh or groan; the other should just make you groan. Explain the errors and correct them.</i><br />
<br />
“During surgery, Elalem took tissue samples from Milosevski's stomach and himself walked them to the pathology department.”<br />
<br />
<i>Did Elalem take samples from Milosevski and from himself? It sure sounds like it. Read it closely.</i><br />
<i>The problem is the misuse of the word “himself”. It must be eliminated and then the sentence makes sense; mind you, I have never seen tissue samples walk so I would change “walked”.</i><br />
<br />
“During surgery, Elalem took tissue samples from Milosevski's stomach and took them to the pathology department.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Thursday, April 1</b></div><br />
<b>PRESCRIBE/PROSCRIBE</b><br />
<br />
“P<b>rescribe</b>”, a verb, means to lay down rules, to dictate or to order.<br />
<br />
“<b>Proscribe</b>” is a verb meaning to disallow, to forbid or to veto.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Monday, April 5</b></div><br />
<b>SURE/SURELY</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Sure</b>” is an adjective meaning certain.<br />
<br />
“<b>Surely</b>” is an adverb meaning undoubtedly.<br />
<br />
Just for fun, “<b>surely</b>” can modify “<b>sure</b>”, but “<b>sure</b>” cannot modify “<b>surely</b>”. And don’t call me “<b>Shirley</b>”. <i>(Do you know who said that in a famous movie? Do you know the movie?)</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Tuesday, April 6</b></div><br />
<b>TIMES/MULTIPLY</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Times</b>” does not mean “<b>multiply</b>” even though we use the term times-tables.<br />
Simply, “<b>times</b>” must not be used to mean multiply.<br />
“<b>Multiply</b>”, meaning to increase, is the correct term.<br />
<br />
“I multiply 2 by 2 and I get 4. I do not times the numbers. Even I can understand that.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Wednesday, April 7</b></div><i>Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.</i><br />
<br />
“And waded right in to the unbearable heaviness of being Tiger.”<br />
<br />
<i>There is no subject of this group of words pretending to be a sentence.</i><br />
<i>“In to” should be “into”.</i><br />
<br />
“And he waded right into the unbearable heaviness of being Tiger.”<br />
<br />
<br />
“Some of it self-imposed, some out of self-preservation.”<br />
<br />
<i>This is an incomplete thought because there is no verb.</i><br />
<br />
“Some of it was self-imposed, some was out of self-preservation.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Thursday, April 8</b></div><br />
<b>NOTHING</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Nothing</b>” is a singular noun; therefore, its verb must also be singular.<br />
<br />
“Nothing but weeds grows in my yard.” (wrong)<br />
“Nothing but weeds grow in my yard.”<br />
<br />
“Nothing except sweet candies appeal to Tiffany.” (wrong)<br />
“Nothing except sweet candies appeals to Tiffany.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>Friday, April 9</b></div><br />
<i>Fix the errors in the following pieces. Be sure to cite the rule for each error.</i><br />
<br />
“First, to give the impression Earl Woods is in a galaxy far, far away, a virtual Obi-Wan Kenobi offering words of wisdom to a much younger Tiger; the one we knew and loved before all those sordid details about his mistresses and sex life hit the press.”<br />
<br />
<i>This is an incomplete thought; there is no main verb.</i><br />
<i>The semicolon should be a period.</i><br />
<br />
“First, the commercial gives the impression Earl Woods is in a galaxy far, far away, a virtual Obi-Wan Kenobi offering words of wisdom to a much younger Tiger, the one we knew and loved before all those sordid details about his mistresses and sex life hit the press.”<br />
<br />
<br />
“Or for those of us who refuse to buy it, cowardice and more cowardice.”<br />
<br />
<i>This is an incomplete thought; there is no main verb.</i><br />
<br />
“The commercial shows those of us who refuse to buy it, cowardice and more cowardice.”<br />
<br />
<br />
“He acts like a kid who's just been taken to the woodshed; a sombre, stoic, sheepish look on his face.”<br />
<br />
The semi-colon and word structure are wrong and destroy the correct sense of what is being said.<br />
<br />
“He acts like a kid who's just been taken to the woodshed with that sombre, stoic, sheepish look on his face.”<br />
<br />
<br />
“And the par-five 13th when he went in the creek with his second shot, and survived.”<br />
<br />
<i>This is an incomplete sentence because there is no main verb.</i><br />
<i>“He went in the creek...” conjures up an interesting image, especially if he did it in front of millions of viewers. Actually and factually, his ball went into the creek.</i><br />
<i>The comma after “shot” is really unnecessary because the subject of both verbs is “he”, but I know what the writer is trying to do.</i><br />
<br />
“He survived the par-five 13th when he drove his ball into the creek with his second shot.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>INTERESTING AND TRUE</b><br />
<br />
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”<br />
<i><b>Voltaire</b>, a French humanist and satirist who lived from 1694 to1778, wrote this.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b>QUESTION OF THE MONTH:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>WHY DO WRITERS,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>ESPECIALLY SPORTS WRITERS,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>INSIST ON WRITING IN</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>HEADLINES INSTEAD OF IN SENTENCES?</b></div><br />
<br />
<b>ONE TRUE RULE</b><br />
<br />
“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.”<br />
<i><b>Sophocles</b>, a Greek tragic dramatist who lived from 496 BC to 406 BC, penned this statement.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>TWO WEEKS OF WORDS</b><br />
<br />
“<b>Temporize</b>” (v.) means to draw out a discussion to gain time, to linger, to loaf or to mill around.<br />
<br />
“<b>Maven</b>” (n.) refers to someone who is highly skilled, adept, a wizard, a virtuoso or a star.<br />
<br />
“<b>Lupine</b>” (adj.) means resembling a wolf, a wild species, savage or ravenous”.<br />
<b>Bonus</b>: “lupine”, as a noun, refers to any plant of the leguminous species with blue, pink or white flowers.<br />
<br />
“<b>Tawdry</b>” (adj.) means flashy, cheap, garish, gaudy or trashy.<br />
“<b>Tawdrily</b>” is the adverb form.<br />
“<b>Tawdriness</b>” is the noun form.<br />
<br />
“<b>Enmity</b>” (n.) refers to hostility, antagonism or a deep-seated ill-will.<br />
<br />
“<b>Solicitous</b>” (adj.) means showing concern and anxiety, afraid, concerned or careful of someone or something.<br />
“<b>Solicit</b>” is the verb form.<br />
“<b>Solicitously</b>” is the adverb form.<br />
“<b>Solicitousness</b>” is the noun form.<br />
“<b>Solicitor</b>” is another noun form.<br />
<br />
“<b>Naught</b>” “n.) refers to a quantity of no importance, nothing or a complete failure. <br />
“<b>Naughty</b>” is the most commonly used word that is derived from “naught”, suggesting sexual impropriety, raciness or auto erotic, so be careful when calling a child “naughty”.<br />
<br />
“<b>Amorphous</b>” (adj.) means having no definite form or distinct shape, lacking structure or artificial.<br />
<br />
“<b>Ambiguity</b>” (n.) refers to an expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context, <br />
other parts of speech, unclearness or uncertainty.<br />
“<b>Ambiguous</b>” is the adjective form.<br />
“<b>Ambiguously</b>” is the adverb form.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-33070968742559806802010-04-09T08:35:00.000-04:002010-04-09T08:35:34.171-04:00FRIDAY'S FOLLIES<b style="color: blue;">A PLETHORA OF EXAMPLES</b><br />
<br />
<i>Find and fix the errors in the following pieces. Be sure to cite the rule for each error.</i><br />
<br />
"First, to give the impression Earl Woods is in a galaxy far, far away, a virtual Obi-Wan Kenobi offering words of wisdom to a much younger Tiger; the one we knew and loved before all those sordid details about his mistresses and sex life hit the press."<br />
<i>Karen Hall, "Shame on you, Tiger Woods", The Windsor Star, Friday, April 9, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
"Or for those of us who refuse to buy it, cowardice and more cowardice."<br />
<i>Karen Hall, "Shame on you, Tiger Woods", The Windsor Star, Friday, April 9, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
"He acts like a kid who's just been taken to the woodshed; a sombre, stoic, sheepish look on his face."<br />
<i>Karen Hall, "Shame on you, Tiger Woods", The Windsor Star, Friday, April 9, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
"And the par-five 13th when he went in the creek with his second shot, and survived."<br />
<i>Cam Cole, "Watson wows Augusta", The Windsor Star, Friday, April 9, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>ambiguity</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>ambiguity</b>"?<br />
What other parts of speech can be made from "<b>ambiguity</b>"? <br />
Define "<b>ambiguity</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><i>CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS</i></b></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Corrections and explanations for the entries from this week and last week will be posted Sunday.</i>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-1593742935108367342010-04-08T08:53:00.000-04:002010-04-08T08:53:06.174-04:00ANOTHER YEAR - A CONTINUING MISSION<div style="color: blue;"><b> NOTHING</b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: black;"><i>Correct the following sentences and cite the rule that applies.</i></div><br />
<span style="color: black;">"Nothing but weeds grows in my yard."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;">"Nothing except sweet candies appeal to Tiffany."</span><br />
<b><span style="color: black;"> </span> </b><br />
<br />
<b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>amorphous</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>amorphous</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>amorphous</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: blue;">CONGRATULATIONS TO ME:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b style="color: blue;">THREE YEARS AND COUNTING</b></span></div><br />
On April 6, 2007, I published my first blog entry, citing lofty ideals and a mandate to harass professional writers, newscasters and radio and television speakers for so much abuse of the English language. I like to think that, in a small way, I have pushed them to be aware of their obligations to the public and, especially, to young and impressionable readers and listeners.<br />
<br />
<br />
I take pride in offering a word-a-day to challenge people to broaden their vocabularies.<br />
<br />
I also take pride in trying to improve punctuation, sentence structure and grammar.<br />
<br />
Today's posting is number 881 and I fully intend to keep going, to keep challenging and to always champion the correct use of the English language.<br />
<br />
<br />
Please visit my "<b>FRIENDS</b>" who are listed in the column to the right.<br />
<br />
Please join the "<b>FOLLOWERS</b>" of this blog by clicking on "follow" in the box to the right.<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you. Come back often.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-83171423198175698902010-04-07T08:39:00.001-04:002010-04-07T14:48:47.175-04:00BAD STRUCTURAL WRITING<b style="color: blue;">SPORT BLOOPERS</b> <br />
<br />
<i>Identify and correct the errors in the following pieces.</i><br />
<br />
"And waded right in to the unbearable heaviness of being Tiger."<br />
<i>Cam Cole, "Rival feels Tiger's pain", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, April 7, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
"Some of it self-imposed, some out of self-preservation."<br />
<i>Cam Cole, "Rival feels Tiger's pain", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, April 7, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>ONE TRUE RULE</b></div><br />
<i>Identify the author of the following truism.</i><br />
<br />
“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.”<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">TODAY'S WORD</b><i> </i><br />
<br />
The word for today is "<b>naught</b>".<br />
What part of speech is <b>naught</b>"?<br />
<br />
Define "<b>naught</b>" and use it in a sentence.<i></i><br />
What is the most commonly used word that is derived from "<b>naught</b>"?Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-78632392151812609502010-04-06T08:43:00.000-04:002010-04-06T08:43:47.269-04:00BRANCHING OUT<div style="color: blue;"><b>TIMES/MULTIPLY</b></div><div style="color: blue;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: black;">In the world of math, what is correct: to "times" <b>numbers</b>, or to "<b>multiply</b>" numbers? </div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">Explain the correct use of the terms "</span><b style="color: black;">times</b><span style="color: black;">" and "</span><b style="color: black;">multiply</b><span style="color: black;">".</span><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>solicitous</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>solicitous</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>solicitous</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
List four other forms of "<b>solicitous</b>" and identify what part of speech each is.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-58644565873698405522010-04-05T08:43:00.000-04:002010-04-05T08:43:35.837-04:00BACK TO WORD BUSINESS<div style="color: blue;"><b>SURE/SURELY</b></div><br />
Explain the differences between the words "<b>sure</b>" and "<b>surely</b>".<br />
What part of speech is each word?<br />
Create sentences that clearly show the correct use of "<b>sure</b>" and "<b>surely</b>".<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>enmity</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>enmity</b>"? <br />
Define "<b>enmity</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b><i>REMEMBER</i></b></div><i></i><br />
<i>Corrections and explanations for last week and this week's entries will be posted next Sunday.</i>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-89718697198572769982010-04-01T09:03:00.000-04:002010-04-01T09:03:50.120-04:00LAST OFFERINGS OF THE WEEK<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>TAKE NOTE </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b> The next entry on the blog will be on Monday, April 5, 2010.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>The corrections and explanations for this week and next week</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>will be published on Sunday, April 11, 2010.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I wish everybody a wonderful and happy Easter.</b></span></div><br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">PRESCRIBE/PROSCRIBE</b><br />
<br />
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "<b>prescribe</b>" and "<b>proscribe</b>".<br />
Create sentences that clearly show the correct use of "<b>prescribe</b>" and "<b>proscribe</b>".<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>tawdry</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>tawdry</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>tawdry</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
What other forms of the word can you list?Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-91365802698970087022010-03-31T08:48:00.000-04:002010-03-31T08:48:56.399-04:00READ VERY CLOSELY TODAY<b style="color: blue;">DOUBLE DOSE </b><br />
<br />
<i>Carefully read the following passage and find <b>two </b>errors. One should make you either laugh or groan; the other should just make you groan.</i><br />
<i>Explain the errors and correct them.</i><br />
<br />
"During surgery, Elalem took tissue samples from Milosevski's stomach and himself walked them to the pathology department."<br />
<i>Sarah Sacheli, "Suit cites MDs' errors in loss of stomach", The Windsor Star, Wednesday, March 31, 2010.</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="color: blue;">INTERESTING AND TRUE </b><br />
<br />
<i>Identify the author of the following piece of philosophy.</i><br />
<br />
“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>lupine</b>". (Adjective form)<br />
Define "<b>lupine</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
<b> Bonus</b>: win a gold star by giving the noun definition of "<b>lupine</b>".Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-74427557664535489642010-03-30T08:56:00.000-04:002010-03-30T08:56:50.096-04:00EASILY MISUSED WORDS<div style="color: blue;"><b>ADAPT/ADOPT</b></div><br />
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "<b>adapt</b>" and "<b>adopt</b>".<br />
Create sentences that clearly show the meanings of the words "<b>adapt</b>" and "<b>adopt</b>".<br />
What part of speech is each word?<br />
What other parts of speech can be made from these words?<br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is ""<b>maven</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>maven</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>maven</b>" and use it in a sentence.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-17148760741315288592010-03-29T08:10:00.000-04:002010-03-29T08:10:57.179-04:00MONDAY MOANING<b style="color: blue;">ALAS! ALACK! SUCH WRITING WOES!</b> <br />
<br />
<i>How many errors can you find in the following piece? </i><br />
<i>Identify each error and correct it.</i><br />
<br />
"The two of us were in on Windsor's casino explosion from Day 1: Myself as a reporter at city hall, where Windsor's public debate about casino gambling started in earnest in 1990. Andrews was part of a team of NDP public wonks sent down here by the Bob Rae government to open a "temporary" casino."<br />
<i>Chris Vander Doelen, "Casino exec had wild ride", The Windsor Star, Saturday, March 27, 2010.</i><br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>temporize</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>temporize</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>temporize</b>" and use it in a sentence.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-11690361018002415582010-03-28T08:23:00.000-04:002010-03-28T08:23:11.899-04:00CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - March 28, 2010<i>Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries. </i><br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">Monday</b><br />
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<b style="color: blue;">PRECEDE/PROCEED</b><br />
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“<b>Precede</b>” (v.) means to occur earlier in time, to go ahead of, before or in advance of something.<br />
“The cheerleaders will precede the team when going into the stadium.”<br />
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“<b>Proceed</b>” (v.) means to go on, to continue, to carry on.<br />
“We will move into the stadium and then proceed to the benches at the north end.”<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">Tuesday</b><br />
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<b style="color: blue;">DISSEMBLE/DISASSEMBLE</b><br />
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“<b>Dissemble</b>” (v.) means to be dishonest, to conceal the real nature of, to give a false appearance of or to try to hide what is being done.<br />
“The bullies did nothing but dissemble about the brawl and then police were completely frustrated.”<br />
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“<b>Disassemble</b>” (v.) means to take apart, to break apart or to tear down.<br />
“They will disassemble the old house and try to salvage as much as they can in order to save money.”<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">Wednesday</b><br />
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<b style="color: blue;">INTERMENT/INTERNMENT</b><br />
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“<b>Interment</b>” (n.) refers to the burial or the ritual placing of a corpse into a grave.<br />
“We will conduct the interment this morning at 11:00 and will have a rollicking good wake immediately after.”<br />
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“<b>Internment</b>” (n.) refers to confinement or imprisonment.<br />
“His internment was for a period of ten years in solitary confinement.”<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">Thursday</b><br />
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<b style="color: blue;">MANIFEST/MANIFESTO/MANIFESTATION</b><br />
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“<b>Manifest</b>” (adj.) means readily seen or understood, apparent, evident or clear.<br />
“<b>Manifest</b>” can also be a verb or a noun.<br />
“The manifest devastation to the town clearly showed the cruelty of the conquering army.”<br />
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“<b>Manifesto</b>” (n.) is a public declaration as of a sovereign or a government. It also can refer to a list of cargo on a ship.<br />
“The conquering forces posted their manifesto on the door of the government building so everyone could read it.”<br />
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“<b>Manifestation</b>” (n.) refers to an indication or a public demonstration for political effect or an expression of emotion without words.<br />
“Her tears were a powerful manifestation of the pain she had suffered when her husband was killed.”<br />
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<b style="color: #660000;">Friday</b><br />
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<b style="color: blue;">GARRULOUS/QUERULOUS</b><br />
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“<b>Garrulous</b>”, an adjective, means chatty, gabby, given to much talk, especially about trifles.<br />
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“<b>Querulous</b>”, also an adjective, means fretful, whiney, grumbling or faultfinding, petty, complaining or tending to make moral judgments based on personal opinions.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: blue;">CYNICAL BUT PROFOUND</b></span><br />
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<i>Explain how the quote reflects the title.</i><br />
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“He wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat.”<br />
<i><b>William Shakespeare</b> wrote this in “Much Ado About Nothing”.</i><br />
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<i>The cynicism is that hats are often changed and more often taken off and put on just to suit the weather. Shakespeare’s profundity ridicules those who are so fickle as to have such shallow faith. I am sure there are other interpretations, but this one is very evident. </i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: blue;">PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK</b></span><br />
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<i>Find and correct the peeve in the following sentence. Posit why it qualifies as a "pet peeve".</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
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“I was driving behind a woman that refused to drive up to the speed limit.”<br />
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<i>People are not things. A person should not, and cannot, be a “that”! It ticks me off that people are so inconsiderate as to refer to others as things and that is why it qualifies as a pet peeve. I will not address the problem of the person who will not go the speed limit; that is another peeve that will get some attention in a different forum.</i><br />
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"I was driving behind a woman who refused to drive up to the speed limit."<br />
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<b style="color: blue;">LAST WEEK’S WORDS</b><br />
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“<b>Pyre</b>” (n.) refers to wood piled or heaped for burning, particularly as a funeral rite.<br />
“<b>Pyromaniac</b>”, referring to one obsessed with fires, is a word derived from “pyre”.<br />
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“<b>Retributive</b>” (adj.) means avenging, paying back, seeking revenge or vindicatory.<br />
“<b>Retribution</b>” (n.) and “retributory” (adj.) are other forms of the word.<br />
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“<b>Harangue</b>” (n.) refers to a bombastic declamation, a rant or a lecture.<br />
“<b>Harangue</b>” (v.) means to address forcefully, to berate, to rebuke or lambast.<br />
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“<b>Extemporize</b>” (v.) means to perform without preparation, to ad-lib or to improvise.<br />
“<b>Extemporaneous</b>” is the adjective form.<br />
“<b>Extempore</b>” is the adverb form.<br />
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“<b>Postulate</b>” (v.) means to claim, to hold, to claim, to hold as a fundamental truth or to assume the existence of truth without reasoning.Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1545678927399679388.post-41976274848843858852010-03-26T08:46:00.000-04:002010-03-26T08:46:14.111-04:00SOME MORE INTERESTING WORDS<div style="color: blue;"><b>GARRULOUS/QUERULOUS</b></div><br />
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "<b>garrulous</b>" and "<b>querulous</b>".<br />
What part of speech is each word?<br />
Use "<b>garrulous</b>" and "<b>querulous</b>" in sentences that display their respective meanings.<br />
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<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><b>PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK</b></div><br />
<i>Find and correct the peeve in the following sentence. Posit why it qualifies as a "pet peeve".</i><br />
<br />
"I was driving behind a woman that refused to drive up to the speed limit."<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><b>TODAY'S WORD</b></div><br />
The word for today is "<b>postulate</b>".<br />
What part of speech is "<b>postulate</b>"?<br />
Define "<b>postulate</b>" and use it in a sentence.<br />
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<div style="color: blue;"><b><i>CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS</i></b></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.</i>Michael Lyonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06465195400605256200noreply@blogger.com0