TAKE A BREAK!
This blog will resume on July 13, 2009.
JULY 1, 2009
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - June 28, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week’s entries.
Monday
APPOSE/DEPOSE/OPPOSE/REPOSE/SUPPOSE
“Appose” means to place side by side or inclose proximity.
“Depose” means to force from office or to declare an oath.
“Oppose” means to be against, to differ or to take issue with something.
“Repose” means to lie down or rest in a horizontal position.
“Suppose” means to conjecture, speculate or theorise.
All are verbs and all have the root “pose” as in position or taking a position.
Tuesday
PERSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE
“Perspective”, usually a noun, means a position, feeling, sight or view.
“His perspective of the situation was that the children were in trouble.”
“Prospective” is usually an adjective and generally refers to the future. It means forthcoming, imminent or impending.
“His prospective employment is predicated on his experience in the field.”
Wednesday
REBUT/REFUTE
“Rebut” (v.) means to argue against someone’s argument.
“Rebuttal” is the noun form.
“Refute” (v.) means to disprove someone’s argument or to prove it incorrect.
Thursday
RETROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE
“Retrospective” has to do with looking back as in, “His works are a retrospective of past artistic glories.”
“Retroactive” refers to actions, and is about making a current change applicable to the past, especially in law, as in, “The government made their policies retroactive to the first of the year.”
Friday
CRITERIA/CRITERION
“Criterion” is singular.
“Criteria” is plural.
The words are of Latin derivation wherein “on” at the end of the word was singular and “a” at the end was plural.
“Medium” and “media”, “datum” and “data”, “stadium” and “stadia” follow the same rule.
“He has one criterion of judgment.”
“Radio is one medium of communication.”
“The data in the report are very convincing.
A TRUTH
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
Zeno, a Greek philosopher (335 BC - 264 BC), said this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Devolve”` (v.) means to transfer or degenerate, pass on or fail as a duty or responsibility.
“Atavistic” (adj.) means regressive, declining, deteriorating, dying or reverting to an earlier type.
“Melancholy” (n.) refers to sorrow, sadness or depression.
“Cadre” (n.) refers to a small unit serving as the nucleus of a larger political group. It can be a small political unit.
“Antithetical” (adj.) means opposite, different in character or purpose.
VACATION REMINDER
This blog will be on vacation for two weeks from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12, 2009.
If you really need a grammar fix, check the archives; there are hundreds of entries.
By the by, if you are superstitious, yesterday's posting was number 666. Have a ball!
Thanks,
Mike
Monday
APPOSE/DEPOSE/OPPOSE/REPOSE/SUPPOSE
“Appose” means to place side by side or inclose proximity.
“Depose” means to force from office or to declare an oath.
“Oppose” means to be against, to differ or to take issue with something.
“Repose” means to lie down or rest in a horizontal position.
“Suppose” means to conjecture, speculate or theorise.
All are verbs and all have the root “pose” as in position or taking a position.
Tuesday
PERSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE
“Perspective”, usually a noun, means a position, feeling, sight or view.
“His perspective of the situation was that the children were in trouble.”
“Prospective” is usually an adjective and generally refers to the future. It means forthcoming, imminent or impending.
“His prospective employment is predicated on his experience in the field.”
Wednesday
REBUT/REFUTE
“Rebut” (v.) means to argue against someone’s argument.
“Rebuttal” is the noun form.
“Refute” (v.) means to disprove someone’s argument or to prove it incorrect.
Thursday
RETROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE
“Retrospective” has to do with looking back as in, “His works are a retrospective of past artistic glories.”
“Retroactive” refers to actions, and is about making a current change applicable to the past, especially in law, as in, “The government made their policies retroactive to the first of the year.”
Friday
CRITERIA/CRITERION
“Criterion” is singular.
“Criteria” is plural.
The words are of Latin derivation wherein “on” at the end of the word was singular and “a” at the end was plural.
“Medium” and “media”, “datum” and “data”, “stadium” and “stadia” follow the same rule.
“He has one criterion of judgment.”
“Radio is one medium of communication.”
“The data in the report are very convincing.
A TRUTH
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
Zeno, a Greek philosopher (335 BC - 264 BC), said this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Devolve”` (v.) means to transfer or degenerate, pass on or fail as a duty or responsibility.
“Atavistic” (adj.) means regressive, declining, deteriorating, dying or reverting to an earlier type.
“Melancholy” (n.) refers to sorrow, sadness or depression.
“Cadre” (n.) refers to a small unit serving as the nucleus of a larger political group. It can be a small political unit.
“Antithetical” (adj.) means opposite, different in character or purpose.
VACATION REMINDER
This blog will be on vacation for two weeks from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12, 2009.
If you really need a grammar fix, check the archives; there are hundreds of entries.
By the by, if you are superstitious, yesterday's posting was number 666. Have a ball!
Thanks,
Mike
Friday, June 26, 2009
GOOD CHALLENGES
CRITERIA/CRITERION
Explain the difference in meaning between "criteria" and "criterion".
When is it correct to use "criteria" and when is it correct to use "criterion"?
Create sentences using each word correctly.
Cite as many examples of other words that follow the same rules.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "antithetical".
What part of speech is "antithetical"?
Define "antithetical" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
TIME FOR A BREAK
JUNE 29 - JULY 12
I am taking a break, so there will be no postings on the blog from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12.
If you are in need of a grammar fix, check the archives. There are, literally, hundreds of postings from which to choose.
Explain the difference in meaning between "criteria" and "criterion".
When is it correct to use "criteria" and when is it correct to use "criterion"?
Create sentences using each word correctly.
Cite as many examples of other words that follow the same rules.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "antithetical".
What part of speech is "antithetical"?
Define "antithetical" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
TIME FOR A BREAK
JUNE 29 - JULY 12
I am taking a break, so there will be no postings on the blog from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12.
If you are in need of a grammar fix, check the archives. There are, literally, hundreds of postings from which to choose.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
BE PRECISE
RETROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE
Define "retrospective" and "retroactive" and explain the differences in meaning between the words.
What part of speech is each word?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cadre".
What part of speech is "cadre"?
Define "cadre" and use it in a sentence.
TIME FOR A BREAK
JUNE 29 - JULY 12
I am taking a break, so there will be no postings on the blog from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12.
If you are in need of a grammar fix, check the archives. There are, literally, hundreds of postings from which to choose.
Have a ball! Read them all!
Define "retrospective" and "retroactive" and explain the differences in meaning between the words.
What part of speech is each word?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "cadre".
What part of speech is "cadre"?
Define "cadre" and use it in a sentence.
TIME FOR A BREAK
JUNE 29 - JULY 12
I am taking a break, so there will be no postings on the blog from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12.
If you are in need of a grammar fix, check the archives. There are, literally, hundreds of postings from which to choose.
Have a ball! Read them all!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
HUMP DAY OFFERINGS
REBUT/REFUTE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "rebut" and "refute".
Create a coherent sentence for each word.
A TRUTH
Identify the author of the following truism.
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "melancholy".
What part of speech is "melancholy"?
Define "melancholy" and use it in a sentence.
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "rebut" and "refute".
Create a coherent sentence for each word.
A TRUTH
Identify the author of the following truism.
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "melancholy".
What part of speech is "melancholy"?
Define "melancholy" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
EASY STUFF
PERSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "perspective" and "prospective".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences that clearly show the meanings of the words "perspective" and "prospective".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is ""atavistic".
What part of speech is "atavistic"?
Define "atavistic" and use it in a sentence. Try creating two sentences using the word.
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "perspective" and "prospective".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences that clearly show the meanings of the words "perspective" and "prospective".
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is ""atavistic".
What part of speech is "atavistic"?
Define "atavistic" and use it in a sentence. Try creating two sentences using the word.
Monday, June 22, 2009
A FUN ONE
APPOSE/DEPOSE/OPPOSE/REPOSE/SUPPOSE
"Appose", "depose", "oppose", "repose" and "suppose" share the same root but all have different meanings.
What is the root of each word?
What clue to the meanings does the root present?
What part of speech is each word?
What is the meaning of "appose", "depose", "oppose", "repose" and "suppose"?
Use each word in a sentence that shows its meaning.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "devolve".
Define "devolve" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "devolve"?
JOIN THE CLUB
Check the websites of "MY FRIENDS".
You will be pleasantly surprised.
Join my "ENGLISH PURISTS CLUB".
Let it be known that you advocate and support the use of correct English.
"Appose", "depose", "oppose", "repose" and "suppose" share the same root but all have different meanings.
What is the root of each word?
What clue to the meanings does the root present?
What part of speech is each word?
What is the meaning of "appose", "depose", "oppose", "repose" and "suppose"?
Use each word in a sentence that shows its meaning.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "devolve".
Define "devolve" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "devolve"?
JOIN THE CLUB
Check the websites of "MY FRIENDS".
You will be pleasantly surprised.
Join my "ENGLISH PURISTS CLUB".
Let it be known that you advocate and support the use of correct English.
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