CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - March 1, 2009

Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.


Monday

GONE/WENT

Explain the difference between the words "gone" and "went".
“Gone" is the past participle of the verb “to go”. “Gone must have an auxiliary verb attached.
“Went” is the past tense of the verb “to go”.

“He went to the store yesterday.”
“He has gone to the store in the past.”


Tuesday

Fix the errors in the following. Be sure to be able to explain each.

“It was a night beyond friends and family and his fellow officials, went mostly unnoticed among the hockey world, but Pare recognizes that's when an official is at their best.
When nobody remembers who they are.”

The first group of words is a run-on sentence because of the misuse of punctuation.
“An official” is singular but the relative pronoun following it is plural. Consistency must be established
The second group of words is an incomplete thought and, therefore, not a sentence. A principal clause is needed.

“It was a night beyond friends and family and his fellow officials. It went mostly unnoticed among the hockey world, but Pare recognizes that's when officials are at their best.
“[Officials are at their best] when nobody remembers who they are.”


Wednesday

WHENEVER/WHEN

“Whenever” is a conjunction meaning at whatever time or any time. It can refer to repeated events or to events of indefinite time or date.
“He gives to the poor whenever he is able to do so.”

“When” is an adverb or a subordinate adverb conjunction. It usually refers to a specific singular event.
“When it is possible, I will do the deed.”


Thursday

APPRAISE/APPRISE

“Appraise” means to rate or estimate the value of something.
“I will appraise the value of that old chair for a fee.”

“Apprise” means to inform, to acquaint or to pass on information to some one.
“I will apprise him of his options when he is formally charged with a crime.”


Friday

Identify and correct the errors in the entries below.

“Too much offence, too much defence, too much power on the serve.”

This is an incomplete thought because there is no verb.

“[Amherstburg had] too much offence, too much defence and too much power on the serve.”


“They play good defence, they can hit.”

The error here is usually referred to as a comma splice. A semi-colon, a conjunction or two sentences could be used in correcting the error.

“They play good defence; they can hit.”
“They play good defence and they can hit.”
“They play good defence. They can hit.”


BLOG RATIONALE

“Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.”
Don Wood, author, created this sardonic saying.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Poignant” (adj.) means moving, emotional touching, heart-rending or sad.
“Poignancy” is the noun form of the word.

“Extricable” (adj.) means being able to be disengaged, disentangled, freed or liberated.

“Flaccid” (adj.) means flabby, drooping, saggy or lifeless.

“Cadaverous” (adj.) means ghostly, pale, pallid or ashen.

“Cognition” (n.) means perception, awareness or the act or power of knowing.