CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - April 27, 2008

Here are the corrections for last week's postings.

Monday

INCISIVE/DECISIVE

“Incisive” means cutting into, acute or sharp.

Decisive” means putting an end to or concluding something. It comes from the word “decide”.


Tuesday

WILL/SHALL

Explain the differences in meaning between the verbs "will" and "shall" in relation to person.

“Shall” is used to show the simple future tense in the first person.

“Will” is used to show the simple future tense in the second and third persons.

I shall go. We shall go.
You will go. You will go.
He will go. They will go.

To express promise or determination, the use of “shall” and “will” are reversed.

I will go. We will go.
You shall go. You shall go.
He shall go. They shall go.

The difference is in the intent of meaning.


Wednesday

A TEST

Choose the correct word in the following sentences.

1. The child does not feel (good, well).
The child does not feel well.

2. The cookies smell (good, well).
The cookies smell good.

3. He swims and dives (good, well).
He swims and dives well.

4. He does not write (plain, plainly).
He does not write plainly.

5. She sings (beautiful, beautifully).
She sings beautifully.

6. Drive (careful, carefully).
Drive carefully.

7. The taxi drivers sounded their horns (loud, loudly).
The taxi drivers sounded their horns loudly.

8. Dogs smell (keen, keenly).
Dogs smell keenly.

9. The general looked (close, closely) at the soldiers.
The general looked closely at the soldiers.

10. That man always looks (sad, sadly).
That man always looks sad.


Thursday

What is the error in the entry below?

"Those shocking details are among the mountains of evidence U.S. prosecutors have made public after Veillette hung himself in an Ohio jail."

“Hanged” means “executed by hanging”.
“Hung” means “suspended” and may not be used in the case of execution.

"Those shocking details are among the mountains of evidence U.S. prosecutors have made public after Veillette hanged himself in an Ohio jail."


Friday

A FRIDAY POSER

Is there an error in the sentence below? If there is, correct it and give your reasoning.

"That's where Helms uncertainty exists."

“Helms” should be possessive. Correctly, it should be spelled “Helms’s”, but modern usage would allow “Helms’”.

"That's where Helms’s uncertainty exists."


A GOOD PHILOSOPHY

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.”
Abraham Lincoln said this.


THE WORDS

“Simulacrum” (n.) is an insubstantial or vague or unreal semblance or image.
“Simulacra” is the plural form.
“Simultaneous” has the same root.

“Draconian” (adj.) means severe or rigorous. It derives from the Greek Athenian statesman, Draco, whose code of law was extremely severe or harsh.

“Parsimonious” (adj.) means excessively unwilling to spend, uncharitable or mean.

“Extrapolate” (v.) means to generalize, to infer or to draw from specific cases for more general cases.

“Ingenuous” (adj.) means artless, unable to hide one’s feelings, free from reserve or innocent.


SPECIAL NOTE

I like to receive comments regarding the postings and I thank you for the responses. But sometimes your corrections are incorrect. Keep at it.