CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - May 3, 2009

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

Monday

Find, explain and correct the error in the following piece.
Identify the irony in the piece.

“The point is: what are we doing to help kids succeed.”

There should be a question mark after a question.

“The point is: what are we doing to help kids succeed?”

The irony is that the story was about teachers and they should not be associated with such a simple mistake.


Tuesday

LIKE/AS

“Like” as a preposition, starts a phrase and it must have an object.
“She sings like a beautiful bird.”

“As” is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause containing a subject and a verb.
“He runs as a gazelle does.”


Wednesday

DOESN'T/DON'T

“Doesn’t” or “does not” is used with third person singular words such as “he”, “she” or “it”.

“Don’t” is never used for the third person singular such as in “He don’t know very much about grammar”.

“Don’t” is used for subjects other than third person singular as in “I don’t want to make a mistake”.


Thursday

SINGLE/SINGULAR

“Single” (adj.) means one unit. It refers to a person as being unmarried.
“Single” (v.) means to call attention to someone or something, as in singling out a reprobate for punishment.

“Singular” (adj.) means unique or distinctive. It means odd or unique when referring to a person.


Friday

ASSURE/ENSURE/INSURE

“Assure” (v.) means to make a person confident or certain of something, to state positively or to make a promise or commitment.
The noun form is “assurance”.
“I assure you that you have the skills to do the job.”

“Ensure” (v.) means to make certain or guarantee something will occur.
There is no noun form for “ensure”.
“I assure you that the event will occur.”

“Insure” (v.) means to underwrite or cover something such as with an insurance policy.
The noun form is “insurance”.
“Before I drive, I must insure me car for liability.”


THIS WEEK'S APHORISM

Identify the author of the following.

“I never cease being dumbfounded by the unbelievable things people believe.”
Leo Rosten, a US author, created this line.


LAST WEEK’S WORDS

“Demagogue” (n.) refers to an orator, an agitator or a fomenter who appeals to the passions and prejudices of his audience.

“Approbation” (n.) means official approval, acceptance or recognition

“Redundant” (adj.) means the use of more words than required, repetition of the same sense in different words.

“Rapturous” (adj.) means ecstatic, joyous elated or jubilant.

The words “rapt” and “rapture” share the same root.

“Redact” (v.) means to edit, revise, formulate in a particular style or language or to bring into presentable literary form.