ATTRIBUTE/CONTRIBUTE
Esplain the difference in meaning between "attribute" and "contribute".
What part of speech is each word?
Create a sentence for each word that clearly shows the meaning of the word.
Explain how one of these words changes when the emphasis is put on a different syllable?
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "exponentially".
What part of speech is "exponentially"?
Define "exponentially" and use it in a sentence.
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS
Corrections and explanations for this week's entries will be posted Sunday.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
HEADLINE: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Identify and correct the error in the following Windsor Star, "Letters to the editor" headline of July 16, 2009.
"Cash for clunkers make sense"
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "consummate".
What part of speech is "consummate"?
Define "consummate" and use it in a sentence.
Identify and correct the error in the following Windsor Star, "Letters to the editor" headline of July 16, 2009.
"Cash for clunkers make sense"
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "consummate".
What part of speech is "consummate"?
Define "consummate" and use it in a sentence.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A MIXED BAG
DREDGE/DRUDGE/TRUDGE
"Dredge", "drudge" and "trudge" may sound similar but they have very different meanings.
What part of speech is each word?
Explain the differences in meaning of the three words.
Use "dredge", "drudge" and "trudge" in sentences that express thieir meanings.
THINK ABOUT THIS ONE
Identify the author of the thought below.
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "torpor".
What part of speech is "torpor"?
Define "torpor" and use it in a sentence.
"Dredge", "drudge" and "trudge" may sound similar but they have very different meanings.
What part of speech is each word?
Explain the differences in meaning of the three words.
Use "dredge", "drudge" and "trudge" in sentences that express thieir meanings.
THINK ABOUT THIS ONE
Identify the author of the thought below.
“A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding.”
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "torpor".
What part of speech is "torpor"?
Define "torpor" and use it in a sentence.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
HELP! GET INVOLVED!
A REQUEST
I would like to draw attention to the flagrant misuse of the English language by advertising companies and I need your suggestions.
Click on "Comment" below and make your suggestions. I will gladly listen or watch a commercial and then cite it on this blog.
Offer your suggestions. I cannot do it all by myself.
BEMUSE/AMUSE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "bemuse" and "amuse".
What part of speech is each word?
What is the noun form of each word?
Use "bemuse" and "amuse" in sentences that show their respective meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "disreputable".
Define "disreputable" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "disreputable"?
I would like to draw attention to the flagrant misuse of the English language by advertising companies and I need your suggestions.
Click on "Comment" below and make your suggestions. I will gladly listen or watch a commercial and then cite it on this blog.
Offer your suggestions. I cannot do it all by myself.
BEMUSE/AMUSE
Explain the difference in meaning between the words "bemuse" and "amuse".
What part of speech is each word?
What is the noun form of each word?
Use "bemuse" and "amuse" in sentences that show their respective meanings.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "disreputable".
Define "disreputable" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "disreputable"?
Monday, July 13, 2009
I'M BACK!
OPINION
I had a good rest over the last two weeks and am ready to reboot my crusade for correct English use. So professional writers: beware! You are my favourites because you have a powerful, influential forum and you must never cease to be the vanguard of correctness. If you pander to sloppy and incorrect writing, I will use you as my teaching tool. Remember, as Marshall McLuhan said: "The medium is the message". If your medium is incorrect, what does that say about you and your message?
WHAT IS A SENTENCE?
Read the following entries and explain why each is, or is not, a sentence.
"Every gesture captured in close-up by coordinated stage cameras, the images sent to jumbo screens for mass viewing."
"No irony involved."
"A souvenir of Windsor."
Dalson Chen, "Kiss made city want to rock 'n' roll all night, The Windsor Star, Monday, July 13, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "eviscerate".
Define "eviscerate" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "eviscerate"?
I had a good rest over the last two weeks and am ready to reboot my crusade for correct English use. So professional writers: beware! You are my favourites because you have a powerful, influential forum and you must never cease to be the vanguard of correctness. If you pander to sloppy and incorrect writing, I will use you as my teaching tool. Remember, as Marshall McLuhan said: "The medium is the message". If your medium is incorrect, what does that say about you and your message?
WHAT IS A SENTENCE?
Read the following entries and explain why each is, or is not, a sentence.
"Every gesture captured in close-up by coordinated stage cameras, the images sent to jumbo screens for mass viewing."
"No irony involved."
"A souvenir of Windsor."
Dalson Chen, "Kiss made city want to rock 'n' roll all night, The Windsor Star, Monday, July 13, 2009.
TODAY'S WORD
The word for today is "eviscerate".
Define "eviscerate" and use it in a sentence.
What part of speech is "eviscerate"?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
VACATION - June 28 - 12, 2009
TAKE A BREAK!
This blog will resume on July 13, 2009.
JULY 1, 2009
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
This blog will resume on July 13, 2009.
JULY 1, 2009
HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
CORRECTIONS & EXPLANATIONS - June 28, 2009
Here are the corrections and explanations for last week’s entries.
Monday
APPOSE/DEPOSE/OPPOSE/REPOSE/SUPPOSE
“Appose” means to place side by side or inclose proximity.
“Depose” means to force from office or to declare an oath.
“Oppose” means to be against, to differ or to take issue with something.
“Repose” means to lie down or rest in a horizontal position.
“Suppose” means to conjecture, speculate or theorise.
All are verbs and all have the root “pose” as in position or taking a position.
Tuesday
PERSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE
“Perspective”, usually a noun, means a position, feeling, sight or view.
“His perspective of the situation was that the children were in trouble.”
“Prospective” is usually an adjective and generally refers to the future. It means forthcoming, imminent or impending.
“His prospective employment is predicated on his experience in the field.”
Wednesday
REBUT/REFUTE
“Rebut” (v.) means to argue against someone’s argument.
“Rebuttal” is the noun form.
“Refute” (v.) means to disprove someone’s argument or to prove it incorrect.
Thursday
RETROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE
“Retrospective” has to do with looking back as in, “His works are a retrospective of past artistic glories.”
“Retroactive” refers to actions, and is about making a current change applicable to the past, especially in law, as in, “The government made their policies retroactive to the first of the year.”
Friday
CRITERIA/CRITERION
“Criterion” is singular.
“Criteria” is plural.
The words are of Latin derivation wherein “on” at the end of the word was singular and “a” at the end was plural.
“Medium” and “media”, “datum” and “data”, “stadium” and “stadia” follow the same rule.
“He has one criterion of judgment.”
“Radio is one medium of communication.”
“The data in the report are very convincing.
A TRUTH
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
Zeno, a Greek philosopher (335 BC - 264 BC), said this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Devolve”` (v.) means to transfer or degenerate, pass on or fail as a duty or responsibility.
“Atavistic” (adj.) means regressive, declining, deteriorating, dying or reverting to an earlier type.
“Melancholy” (n.) refers to sorrow, sadness or depression.
“Cadre” (n.) refers to a small unit serving as the nucleus of a larger political group. It can be a small political unit.
“Antithetical” (adj.) means opposite, different in character or purpose.
VACATION REMINDER
This blog will be on vacation for two weeks from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12, 2009.
If you really need a grammar fix, check the archives; there are hundreds of entries.
By the by, if you are superstitious, yesterday's posting was number 666. Have a ball!
Thanks,
Mike
Monday
APPOSE/DEPOSE/OPPOSE/REPOSE/SUPPOSE
“Appose” means to place side by side or inclose proximity.
“Depose” means to force from office or to declare an oath.
“Oppose” means to be against, to differ or to take issue with something.
“Repose” means to lie down or rest in a horizontal position.
“Suppose” means to conjecture, speculate or theorise.
All are verbs and all have the root “pose” as in position or taking a position.
Tuesday
PERSPECTIVE/PROSPECTIVE
“Perspective”, usually a noun, means a position, feeling, sight or view.
“His perspective of the situation was that the children were in trouble.”
“Prospective” is usually an adjective and generally refers to the future. It means forthcoming, imminent or impending.
“His prospective employment is predicated on his experience in the field.”
Wednesday
REBUT/REFUTE
“Rebut” (v.) means to argue against someone’s argument.
“Rebuttal” is the noun form.
“Refute” (v.) means to disprove someone’s argument or to prove it incorrect.
Thursday
RETROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE
“Retrospective” has to do with looking back as in, “His works are a retrospective of past artistic glories.”
“Retroactive” refers to actions, and is about making a current change applicable to the past, especially in law, as in, “The government made their policies retroactive to the first of the year.”
Friday
CRITERIA/CRITERION
“Criterion” is singular.
“Criteria” is plural.
The words are of Latin derivation wherein “on” at the end of the word was singular and “a” at the end was plural.
“Medium” and “media”, “datum” and “data”, “stadium” and “stadia” follow the same rule.
“He has one criterion of judgment.”
“Radio is one medium of communication.”
“The data in the report are very convincing.
A TRUTH
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
Zeno, a Greek philosopher (335 BC - 264 BC), said this.
LAST WEEK’S WORDS
“Devolve”` (v.) means to transfer or degenerate, pass on or fail as a duty or responsibility.
“Atavistic” (adj.) means regressive, declining, deteriorating, dying or reverting to an earlier type.
“Melancholy” (n.) refers to sorrow, sadness or depression.
“Cadre” (n.) refers to a small unit serving as the nucleus of a larger political group. It can be a small political unit.
“Antithetical” (adj.) means opposite, different in character or purpose.
VACATION REMINDER
This blog will be on vacation for two weeks from Monday, June 29 through Sunday, July 12, 2009.
If you really need a grammar fix, check the archives; there are hundreds of entries.
By the by, if you are superstitious, yesterday's posting was number 666. Have a ball!
Thanks,
Mike
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