CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - May 17, 2009

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

Monday

Find and fix the error in the piece below.

“Pope tell Christians to persevere”

The subject and verb must agree. “Pope” is singular and needs a singular verb.
Though it is a caption, a period would be good at the end.

“Pope tells Christians to persevere”


SURPRISE! A TEST!

Identify and give the relationship of the ten phrases in the examples below.

1. Rivers in the north freeze in that province.

“In the north” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “rivers”.
“In that province” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “freeze”. (when?)


2. What is the name of this street?

“Of this street” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “name”.


3. During the war the national debt of Canada increased to a great extent.

“During the war” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (when?)
“Of Canada” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “debt”.
“To a great extent” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “increased”. (how?)


4. Snow sifted into our cabin through a tiny crack in the wall.

“Into our cabin” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(where?)
“Through a tiny crack” is an adverb phrase modifying the verb “sifted”.(how?)
“In the wall” is an adjective phrase modify in the noun “crack”.


5. "Into the breach, young men," is a famous saying."

“Into the breach” is a noun phrase, subject of the verb “is”.


Tuesday

COMPOSE/COMPRISE

“Compose” (v.) means to create or made up or include.

“Comprise” (v.) is used mainly to mean to be included as in “the game comprises several innings”.

To avoid doubt, do not include “of” after “comprise”; change it to “composed of”.


Wednesday

DEPRAVATION/DEPRIVATION

“Depravation” is an old noun form of the word “depraved” meaning corrupted or perverted .

“Deprivation” (n.) is a state of extreme poverty or need.


Thursday

BROKE/BROKEN

“Broke” is the simple past tense of the word “break”.
“He broke his toe when he kicked the rock.”

“Broken” is the past participle of the word “break”. It usually functions as an adjective.
“His toe is broken.” (Verb form)
“He has a broken toe. (Adjective form)

“His toe is broke” is wrong and cannot be used.


Friday

DISCREET/DISCRETE

“Discreet” (adj.) means tactful, prudent, discerning or careful.

“Discrete” (adj.) means entirely separate and distinct or removed, as in three discrete divisions of government.


SADLY TRUE

Identify the author of the following.

“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”
This was coined by Martin Luther King Jr., an American civil rights leader.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Precipitous” (adj.) means sharp, steep, sheer or risky.

“Consternation” (n.) means fear, stupor, alarm or dismay.

“Fractious” (adj.) means cranky, petulant, testy, irritable or contentious.

“Braggadocio” (n.) means bluster, empty boasting, strutting or prancing. The simplest form of the word is “brag”.
The word is derived from a boastful character in Spenser’s “Fairie Queen”.

“Cadre” (n.) is a small group serving as the nucleus of a larger political movement. It refers to a core or a unit.