EVERYONE/EVERY ONE
Explain the difference between the words "everyone" and "every one".
Create sentences that clearly show the meaning of each.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "osculate".
What part of speech is "osculate"?
Define "osculate" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be published on Sunday.
MONDAY IS A SPECIAL DAY
Visit the site Monday to get the news.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
BE PRECISE
ALTERNATE/ALTERNATIVE
What is the difference in meaning between the words "alternate" and "alternative"?
What part of speech is each word?
What is the adverbial form of each word?
Use "alternare" and "alternative" in sentences that display their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "jejune".
Define "jejune" and use it in a sentence.
What is the difference in meaning between the words "alternate" and "alternative"?
What part of speech is each word?
What is the adverbial form of each word?
Use "alternare" and "alternative" in sentences that display their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "jejune".
Define "jejune" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
UNBELIEVABLE
APRIL FOOLS' JOKE OR APRIL'S FOOLS?
Identify and correct the error in the headline below.
Bonus # 1: explain the contextual connotation of the apostrophies in my title above.
Headline: "1 IN 10 GOV'T WORKERS MAKE MORE THAN $100,000".
Lee Greenberg and Liisa Tuominen, Canwest News Service, The Windsor Star, Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
THAT/WHICH/WHO
Explain the correct use of the relative pronouns "that", "which" and "who".
Create a sentence that clearly expresses the meaning of each word.
A GOOD LIFE THOUGHT
Identify the author of the quote below.
“The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "sinister".
Define "sinister" and use it in a sentence.
Bonus # 2: explain the etymology of the word "sinister".
Identify and correct the error in the headline below.
Bonus # 1: explain the contextual connotation of the apostrophies in my title above.
Headline: "1 IN 10 GOV'T WORKERS MAKE MORE THAN $100,000".
Lee Greenberg and Liisa Tuominen, Canwest News Service, The Windsor Star, Wednesday, April 1, 2009.
THAT/WHICH/WHO
Explain the correct use of the relative pronouns "that", "which" and "who".
Create a sentence that clearly expresses the meaning of each word.
A GOOD LIFE THOUGHT
Identify the author of the quote below.
“The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "sinister".
Define "sinister" and use it in a sentence.
Bonus # 2: explain the etymology of the word "sinister".
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
EASY MARCH ENDING
INVITATION
If you would like to join my new ENGLISH PURISTS CLUB, sign up in the Box to the right.
I confess to not knowing much about this feature but am willing to give it a try.
It could be fun and it could give you a forum to air your favourite English gaffs. Give it a try.
If you think it is too intrusive, let me know.
AUGER/AUGUR
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "auger" and "augur".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences using "auger" and "augur" in a manner that shows their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
Today's word is "ululate".
What part of speech is "ululate"?
Define "ululate" and use it in a sentence.
MILESTONE
A great anniversary is on the horizon.
If you would like to join my new ENGLISH PURISTS CLUB, sign up in the Box to the right.
I confess to not knowing much about this feature but am willing to give it a try.
It could be fun and it could give you a forum to air your favourite English gaffs. Give it a try.
If you think it is too intrusive, let me know.
AUGER/AUGUR
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "auger" and "augur".
What part of speech is each word?
Create sentences using "auger" and "augur" in a manner that shows their meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
Today's word is "ululate".
What part of speech is "ululate"?
Define "ululate" and use it in a sentence.
MILESTONE
A great anniversary is on the horizon.
Monday, March 30, 2009
MAJOR CHALLENGE
MULTI-FACETED CHALLENGE
There are seven errors in the four pieces below.
Identify and correct all the errors.
One unit is correct and must be considered relative to another unit.
All examples are from the same story. To be fair, the article is a good one.
Bonus: receive a gold star if you can identify the irony in one unit.
"Proclaiming his show a vocal supporter of the military. Never acknowledging his responsibility."
"If you've seen the clip on YouTube, you know what I mean: the host and his cronies act like braying jackasses."
"That's my biggest problem with this clusterjerk: The excuse the guy has been peddling is that it's a comedy show. Entertainment. Not to be confused with real news."
"I'm a journalist. I got a lot of questions about everything."
Dalson Chen, "Uninformed U.S. media look foolish", The Windsor Star, Monday, March 30, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "inanity".
What part of speech is "inanity"?
Define "inanity" and use it in a sentence.
MILESTONE
A great anniversary is on the horizon.
There are seven errors in the four pieces below.
Identify and correct all the errors.
One unit is correct and must be considered relative to another unit.
All examples are from the same story. To be fair, the article is a good one.
Bonus: receive a gold star if you can identify the irony in one unit.
"Proclaiming his show a vocal supporter of the military. Never acknowledging his responsibility."
"If you've seen the clip on YouTube, you know what I mean: the host and his cronies act like braying jackasses."
"That's my biggest problem with this clusterjerk: The excuse the guy has been peddling is that it's a comedy show. Entertainment. Not to be confused with real news."
"I'm a journalist. I got a lot of questions about everything."
Dalson Chen, "Uninformed U.S. media look foolish", The Windsor Star, Monday, March 30, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "inanity".
What part of speech is "inanity"?
Define "inanity" and use it in a sentence.
MILESTONE
A great anniversary is on the horizon.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - March 29, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week's entries.
Monday
Correct and explain the error in the sentences below.
“The decisive hole proved to be the par-five 11th where Goosen sunk a 17-foot putt to eagle the hole.”
The past tense of the verb “sink” is “sank” not “sunk”.
“The decisive hole proved to be the par-five 11th where Goosen sank a 17-foot putt to eagle the hole.”
“Hurst sank a long putt on the 18th green at the tough BosqueReal Country Club to finish at 10-under 206.”
This sentence is correct.
The criticism arose because both the sentences cited above were in the same article but each used a different past tense foe the verb “sink”. The assertion is that if one is to be wrong, one has to be, at least, wrong consistently.
Tuesday
RAISE/RISE
“Raise” means to make higher, to build or to nurture. It is normally transitive, meaning an object is present because the action is done to something or someone else.
“Rise” means to get up or to become elevated. It is never transitive.
Wednesday
Find and correct the mistakes.
“The Spitfires don't want to extend the series any longer than they need two for a couple of reasons.”
“Two” is a noun or adjective, depending on use, denoting a level one higher more than one.
“To” is a preposition indicating direction, as in the phrase “to the store”.
“Too” is an adverb meaning also or in addition.
“The Spitfires don't want to extend the series any longer than they need to for a couple of reasons.”
“The diminutive, elderly man sat hunched over in the prisoner's dock in bail court, no outwardly visible signs of having been shot."
This is an incomplete thought with a dangling participial phrase at the end.
“The diminutive, elderly man sat hunched over in the prisoner's dock in bail court with no outwardly visible signs of having been shot.”
“Difficult, but necessary, the experts say, if Michigan and its kids are to have a future.”
This is an incomplete thought.
“The job is difficult, but necessary, the experts say, if Michigan and its kids are to have a future.”
Thursday
SURE/SURELY
"Sure" is an adjective. It modifies nouns or pronouns.
“He is very sure of himself.”
“Sure” is a predicate adjective referring back to “he”.
"Surely" is an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.
“Surely, you jest.”
“Surely” modifies the verb jest because it answers the question “how” about the verb.
The words are not interchangeable.
Friday
ASOCIAL/ANTISOCIAL/SOCIAL
“Social”, as an adjective, means friendly companionship or communal mixing.
“Antisocial” is an adjective meaning opposed to society order or hostile to society or the group.
“Asocial” is an adjective meaning withdrawn from society, not social or not scrupulous. It is usually connected to very negative group or societal feelings.
TRY THIS ONE
“Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.”
Will Durant, a US historian created this line.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Ethereal” (adj.) means ghostly, eerie, delicate or wraithlike.
“Schism” (n.) means a split, a break, a rupture or a rift. It is most often used when there is a division of church or religious bodies.
It is pronounced “sĭz-əm”.
“Eponymous” (adj.) means giving one’s name to something or relating to a thing named after a person. An example is the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.
“Prima facie” is a Latin phrase meaning at first appearance or at first view or before investigation. In law, it means evidence sufficient to establish a fact or a presumption of fact.
“Parochial” (adj.) means narrow, close-minded, insular. It also means associated with a parish or local group.
Monday
Correct and explain the error in the sentences below.
“The decisive hole proved to be the par-five 11th where Goosen sunk a 17-foot putt to eagle the hole.”
The past tense of the verb “sink” is “sank” not “sunk”.
“The decisive hole proved to be the par-five 11th where Goosen sank a 17-foot putt to eagle the hole.”
“Hurst sank a long putt on the 18th green at the tough BosqueReal Country Club to finish at 10-under 206.”
This sentence is correct.
The criticism arose because both the sentences cited above were in the same article but each used a different past tense foe the verb “sink”. The assertion is that if one is to be wrong, one has to be, at least, wrong consistently.
Tuesday
RAISE/RISE
“Raise” means to make higher, to build or to nurture. It is normally transitive, meaning an object is present because the action is done to something or someone else.
“Rise” means to get up or to become elevated. It is never transitive.
Wednesday
Find and correct the mistakes.
“The Spitfires don't want to extend the series any longer than they need two for a couple of reasons.”
“Two” is a noun or adjective, depending on use, denoting a level one higher more than one.
“To” is a preposition indicating direction, as in the phrase “to the store”.
“Too” is an adverb meaning also or in addition.
“The Spitfires don't want to extend the series any longer than they need to for a couple of reasons.”
“The diminutive, elderly man sat hunched over in the prisoner's dock in bail court, no outwardly visible signs of having been shot."
This is an incomplete thought with a dangling participial phrase at the end.
“The diminutive, elderly man sat hunched over in the prisoner's dock in bail court with no outwardly visible signs of having been shot.”
“Difficult, but necessary, the experts say, if Michigan and its kids are to have a future.”
This is an incomplete thought.
“The job is difficult, but necessary, the experts say, if Michigan and its kids are to have a future.”
Thursday
SURE/SURELY
"Sure" is an adjective. It modifies nouns or pronouns.
“He is very sure of himself.”
“Sure” is a predicate adjective referring back to “he”.
"Surely" is an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or adverbs.
“Surely, you jest.”
“Surely” modifies the verb jest because it answers the question “how” about the verb.
The words are not interchangeable.
Friday
ASOCIAL/ANTISOCIAL/SOCIAL
“Social”, as an adjective, means friendly companionship or communal mixing.
“Antisocial” is an adjective meaning opposed to society order or hostile to society or the group.
“Asocial” is an adjective meaning withdrawn from society, not social or not scrupulous. It is usually connected to very negative group or societal feelings.
TRY THIS ONE
“Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.”
Will Durant, a US historian created this line.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Ethereal” (adj.) means ghostly, eerie, delicate or wraithlike.
“Schism” (n.) means a split, a break, a rupture or a rift. It is most often used when there is a division of church or religious bodies.
It is pronounced “sĭz-əm”.
“Eponymous” (adj.) means giving one’s name to something or relating to a thing named after a person. An example is the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York.
“Prima facie” is a Latin phrase meaning at first appearance or at first view or before investigation. In law, it means evidence sufficient to establish a fact or a presumption of fact.
“Parochial” (adj.) means narrow, close-minded, insular. It also means associated with a parish or local group.
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