IGNORANT/STUPID
Explain the difference in meaning of the words "ignorant" and "stupid".
What part of speech is each word?
What is the noun form of each word?
Use "ignorant" and "stupid" in sentences that depict their individual meanings.
QUOTATION MARKS - SPECIAL REQUEST
I have received a request to give some direction on the use of quotation marks so I will begin that tomorrow.
For a hint of the use of quotation marks, check the TODAY'S WORD entry below. Note the placement of the punctuation and try to posit the governing rules.
Check in tomorrow and I will explain some more.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "iniquitous".
Define "iniquitous" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
LOTS OF IDEAS
REDUNDANCIES - FYI
I would like to start a list of reduncies, the stupider the better.
I offer the following as my first contributions:
"Other alternative"
"Past history".
Send me some suggestions by clicking on COMMENT below, and I will post them.
COMPARE TO/COMPARE WITH
Explain the correct use of the terms "compare to" and "compare with".
Create sentences to illustrate your choices.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "colloquy".
Define "colloquy" and use it in a sentence.
I would like to start a list of reduncies, the stupider the better.
I offer the following as my first contributions:
"Other alternative"
"Past history".
Send me some suggestions by clicking on COMMENT below, and I will post them.
COMPARE TO/COMPARE WITH
Explain the correct use of the terms "compare to" and "compare with".
Create sentences to illustrate your choices.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "colloquy".
Define "colloquy" and use it in a sentence.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - September 14, 2008
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's postings.
Monday
ANONYMOUS COMMENT
The following comment was sent to this blog by ANONYMOUS. Determine the number of errors it contains. Correct the errors.
“I think you must hate Shakespeare. He spelled the same words differently and made up over 1700 words. This over a timespan of how many years? Funnily enough, the audiences of the day were able to understand what he was saying, apparently unimpeded. Perhaps you are just dense!!”
"This over a timespan of how many years?" This is an incomplete thought; it has no verb.
“Time span is two words, not one.
One exclamation mark is considered sufficient in accepted, correct writing.
I will not even mention the use of three persons in one paragraph, which is a total violation of accepted writing practices.
“I think you must hate Shakespeare. He spelled the same words differently and made up over 1700 words. This occurred over a times pan of how many years? Funnily enough, the audiences of the day were able to understand what he was saying, apparently unimpeded. Perhaps you are just dense!”
Tuesday
A COMMON SLIP
Identify and correct the error in the following sentence.
“It is definitely not equal between all of the parties.”
“Between” is used with two units. “Among” is used when referring to three or more units.
“It is definitely not equal among all of the parties.”
Wednesday
PRECEDENCE/PRECEDENTS
“Precedence” means giving priority, preference or primacy to something as in the star being given the better table than the amateur hockey player at a restaurant.
“Precedents” is just the plural of precedent, as in models, guides or standards for good behaviour.
Thursday
MANIC/MANIAC/MANIACAL
“Manic” (adj.) refers, in psychology, to a clinical condition, usually of frenzy or overexcitement.
“Maniac” (n.) refers to a crazy person, usually a fanatical type.
“Maniacal” is the adjectival form of “maniac” and the stress is on the second syllable.
Friday
A LITTLE TEST
In each of the following sentences, choose the correct pronoun.
Give reasons for each choice.
1. Is he the friend of (who, whom) you speak?
Is he the friend of whom you speak? (Objective case)
2. Are they the relatives (who, whom) you visited?
Are they the relatives whom you visited? (Objective case)
3. I do not know the girls (who, whom) we passed.
I do not know the girls whom we passed. (Objective case)
4. He is a man for (who, whom) I have great respect.
He is a man for whom I have great respect. (Objective case)
5. He is a mechanic (who, whom) my father works with.
He is a mechanic whom my father works with. (Objective case)
6. She is the girl (who, that) sang so well.
She is the girl who sang so well. (Subjective case)
7. The teacher praised the students (whose, who's) desks were tidy.
The teacher praised the students whose desks were tidy. (“Whose” is possessive; “who’s” is a corruption of “who is”.)
8. Anyone (who, whom) you choose may go with us.
Anyone whom you choose may go with us. (Objective case)
9. They are people (who, whom) we know well.
They are people whom we know well. (Objective case)
10. Find and correct the sentence above that needs to be rewritten.
(Sentence 5 should be rewritten because it ends in a preposition.)
“He is a mechanic with whom my father works.”
HOW TRUE
“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
Iris Murdoch created this line.
DUMB CLICHÉS - Football Section
What on earth does this mean or imply?
Are they playing their first down?
Where is this point on the field?
How cool, really, is the dorf who said this?
"They're in four down territory."
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Contemptuousness” (n.) means scornfulness, distainfulness, condescension or sneering.
“Raconteur” (n.) refers to a narrator, a skilled storyteller or a conversationalist.
“Totalitarianism” (n.)refers to arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power, dictatorship, tyranny or absolutism.
“Phantasm” (n.) is a vision, illusion, mirage or delusion.
“Impassionate” (adj.) means free from passion or dispassionate.
Monday
ANONYMOUS COMMENT
The following comment was sent to this blog by ANONYMOUS. Determine the number of errors it contains. Correct the errors.
“I think you must hate Shakespeare. He spelled the same words differently and made up over 1700 words. This over a timespan of how many years? Funnily enough, the audiences of the day were able to understand what he was saying, apparently unimpeded. Perhaps you are just dense!!”
"This over a timespan of how many years?" This is an incomplete thought; it has no verb.
“Time span is two words, not one.
One exclamation mark is considered sufficient in accepted, correct writing.
I will not even mention the use of three persons in one paragraph, which is a total violation of accepted writing practices.
“I think you must hate Shakespeare. He spelled the same words differently and made up over 1700 words. This occurred over a times pan of how many years? Funnily enough, the audiences of the day were able to understand what he was saying, apparently unimpeded. Perhaps you are just dense!”
Tuesday
A COMMON SLIP
Identify and correct the error in the following sentence.
“It is definitely not equal between all of the parties.”
“Between” is used with two units. “Among” is used when referring to three or more units.
“It is definitely not equal among all of the parties.”
Wednesday
PRECEDENCE/PRECEDENTS
“Precedence” means giving priority, preference or primacy to something as in the star being given the better table than the amateur hockey player at a restaurant.
“Precedents” is just the plural of precedent, as in models, guides or standards for good behaviour.
Thursday
MANIC/MANIAC/MANIACAL
“Manic” (adj.) refers, in psychology, to a clinical condition, usually of frenzy or overexcitement.
“Maniac” (n.) refers to a crazy person, usually a fanatical type.
“Maniacal” is the adjectival form of “maniac” and the stress is on the second syllable.
Friday
A LITTLE TEST
In each of the following sentences, choose the correct pronoun.
Give reasons for each choice.
1. Is he the friend of (who, whom) you speak?
Is he the friend of whom you speak? (Objective case)
2. Are they the relatives (who, whom) you visited?
Are they the relatives whom you visited? (Objective case)
3. I do not know the girls (who, whom) we passed.
I do not know the girls whom we passed. (Objective case)
4. He is a man for (who, whom) I have great respect.
He is a man for whom I have great respect. (Objective case)
5. He is a mechanic (who, whom) my father works with.
He is a mechanic whom my father works with. (Objective case)
6. She is the girl (who, that) sang so well.
She is the girl who sang so well. (Subjective case)
7. The teacher praised the students (whose, who's) desks were tidy.
The teacher praised the students whose desks were tidy. (“Whose” is possessive; “who’s” is a corruption of “who is”.)
8. Anyone (who, whom) you choose may go with us.
Anyone whom you choose may go with us. (Objective case)
9. They are people (who, whom) we know well.
They are people whom we know well. (Objective case)
10. Find and correct the sentence above that needs to be rewritten.
(Sentence 5 should be rewritten because it ends in a preposition.)
“He is a mechanic with whom my father works.”
HOW TRUE
“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
Iris Murdoch created this line.
DUMB CLICHÉS - Football Section
What on earth does this mean or imply?
Are they playing their first down?
Where is this point on the field?
How cool, really, is the dorf who said this?
"They're in four down territory."
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Contemptuousness” (n.) means scornfulness, distainfulness, condescension or sneering.
“Raconteur” (n.) refers to a narrator, a skilled storyteller or a conversationalist.
“Totalitarianism” (n.)refers to arbitrary or unrestrained exercise of power, dictatorship, tyranny or absolutism.
“Phantasm” (n.) is a vision, illusion, mirage or delusion.
“Impassionate” (adj.) means free from passion or dispassionate.
Friday, September 12, 2008
FRIDAY CHALLENGE
A LITTLE TEST
In each of the following sentences, choose the correct pronoun.
Give reasons for each choice.
1. Is he the friend of (who, whom) you speak?
2. Are they the relatives (who, whom) you visited?
3. I do not know the girls (who, whom) we passed.
4. He is a man for (who, whom) I have great respect.
5. He is a mechanic (who, whom) my father works with.
6. She is the girl (who, that) sang so well.
7. The teacher praised the students (whose, who's) desks were tidy.
8. Anyone (who, whom) you choose may go with us.
9. They are people (who, whom) we know well.
10. Find and correct the sentence above that needs to be rewritten.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for for today is "impassionate".
Define "impassionate" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
In each of the following sentences, choose the correct pronoun.
Give reasons for each choice.
1. Is he the friend of (who, whom) you speak?
2. Are they the relatives (who, whom) you visited?
3. I do not know the girls (who, whom) we passed.
4. He is a man for (who, whom) I have great respect.
5. He is a mechanic (who, whom) my father works with.
6. She is the girl (who, that) sang so well.
7. The teacher praised the students (whose, who's) desks were tidy.
8. Anyone (who, whom) you choose may go with us.
9. They are people (who, whom) we know well.
10. Find and correct the sentence above that needs to be rewritten.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for for today is "impassionate".
Define "impassionate" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
MIND GAMES
MANIC/MANIAC/MANIACAL
"Manic", "maniac" and "maniacal" all share the same root.
Explain the differences in meaning and accent of "manic", "maniac" and "maniacal".
Create sentences that express the meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "phantasm".
Define "phantasm" and use it in a sentence.
"Manic", "maniac" and "maniacal" all share the same root.
Explain the differences in meaning and accent of "manic", "maniac" and "maniacal".
Create sentences that express the meaning of each word.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "phantasm".
Define "phantasm" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
EASY STUFF
PRECEDENCE/PRECEDENTS
Explain the difference between the words "precedence" and "precedents".
Use each in a sentence that illustrates its meaning.
DUMB CLICHÉS - Football Section
What on earth does this mean or imply?
"They're in four down territory."
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "totalitarianism".
Define totalitarianism" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference between the words "precedence" and "precedents".
Use each in a sentence that illustrates its meaning.
DUMB CLICHÉS - Football Section
What on earth does this mean or imply?
"They're in four down territory."
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "totalitarianism".
Define totalitarianism" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
A MIXED BAG
A COMMON SLIP
Identify and correct the error in the following sentence.
"It is definitely not equal between all of the parties."
Melanie Deveau, "Political parties buying air time interview", AM 800 CKLW, Monday, September 8, 2008, 4:20 pm.
HOW TRUE
Can you identify the author of this quote?
“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "raconteur".
Define "raconteur" and use it in a sentence. (This is another word that will probably surprise when its basic meaning is revealed.
Identify and correct the error in the following sentence.
"It is definitely not equal between all of the parties."
Melanie Deveau, "Political parties buying air time interview", AM 800 CKLW, Monday, September 8, 2008, 4:20 pm.
HOW TRUE
Can you identify the author of this quote?
“Love is the difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "raconteur".
Define "raconteur" and use it in a sentence. (This is another word that will probably surprise when its basic meaning is revealed.
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