Hey all of you grammar enthusiasts! Welcome back to another lesson on some problems we hear quite a bit with our language.
Today's topic deals with a problem suggested by two special readers, and one that, I think, will be very easy to clear up. Just hang with me and I'll try to make this short and simple.
Have you ever wondered about the differences between WEARY, LEERY, and WARY? We probably have more confusion between WEARY and WARY, but because WEARY sounds so much like LEERY, sometimes even it gets thrown into this confusing muddle.
Let's begin with WEARY. This word, according to Webster's, is an adjective and means "...exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor, or freshness." Think of it also describing someone's patience, tolerance, or even pleasure being depleted.
Here's an example sentence:
I'm so WEARY of political commercials that I cut the TV off every time one comes on.
Here, WEARY means that the speaker is exhausted from watching so many commercials--his patience, tolerance, and/or pleasure is gone from doing so.
Next, let's move right along to WARY. This word, also an adjective, simply means "...marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchful prudence, especially detecting and escaping danger."
Here's how WARY could be used in an example sentence:
Bobby's cat kept a WARY look at the fox lurking behind the fence.
With this sentence, the implication is that the cat senses danger and is watchful in order to escape from the fox's clutches, if necessary. Pretty easy, so far, huh?
The final word is LEERY (sometimes spelled LEARY, but the former is preferred.) LEERY is another adjective and means "...suspicious, wary." WHOA! Did you notice that? WARY is a synonym (means the same) of LEERY. Now, we see one of the reasons why these three words get confused.
Here's a good way to keep this straight:
WEARY means exhausted or worn-out...while...
both LEERY and WARY mean about the same thing: suspicious or watchful.
Try your hand at these sentences:
1. Mike was (leery, weary) of hearing, "It's so dry around here the trees are bribing the dogs."
2. Kathy became (wary, weary) of the telemarketer when he told her to send a $5,000 check to cover the expense of shipping the big prize she had just won.
3. Ava became (leery, weary) of the meal her mom fixed for her after she saw something green on her plate.
How did you do? These are some simple rules to remember, so I hope you did well.
Here are the answers:
1. WEARY is correct because it means Mike is "tired" or "worn-out" about hearing this so much.
2. WARY is correct because it means Kathy is "suspicious" at hearing about such a large demand of money.
3. LEERY is correct because it means that Ava is "suspicious" since she probably doesn't want anything green on her plate.
Okay, Everyone. Did you make 100 again? See how easy most of these little problems are if you'll just think them through and remember the rules for each?
Well, it's about time to sign off. Thanks for reading this info. again, and have a wonderful week! I love hearing from you with your suggestions for another topic. Peace and happiness, GG
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
29. More Mispronunciation Madness - Part II
Hello, Everybody! I hope you're all finer than frog hair and spending lots of time with those you love most.
Today, we're going to take a look at two commonly mispronounced words around these parts. Actually, I don't think we Southerners are the only ones hoein' this row, but you can bet we kill that skunk...a lot.
The first word is
INCENTIVE, a noun which means, according to Webster's, "...something that incites...determination or action...motivates..."
A common way we use this words is to say something such as,
One of the best INCENTIVES used by employers to encourage employees to work longer and harder hours is to pay them higher wages.
The problem occurs when the speaker pronounces the word INCENTIVE with four syllables, and not the correct three syllables. Thus, the word sounds something like this:
IN-CEN-I-TIVE (Please...horrors...I know none of you would pronounce it this way, would you?)
The word should be pronounced the following way:
IN-CEN-TIVE (Notice, please, there are only three syllables when you pronounce the word correctly...ahhhh, such music to my ears.)
The second word we're taking a look at today is PREVENTIVE, an adjective which means, again according to Webster's, "...undertaken to forestall hostile action..."
An example sentence using this word would be
PREVENTIVE steps against soil erosion were undertaken by the farmer to protect his corn crop.
As with INCENTIVE, many times folks give PREVENTIVE an extra syllable so that it, too, is pronounced with four syllables and not the correct three syllables. As a result, the word then sounds the following way:
PRE- VEN-TA-TIVE (Groan...This is enough to make a poor English teacher funeralize the English language...)
The word should be pronounced IN-CEN-TIVE! Three syllables only! (Help...Let's toss this pronunciation!)
Now before some of you get all fired up and tell me that PREVENTATIVE is in the dictionary, remember what I said in an earlier lesson. Many, many words have been included in the dictionary since the 1970's that are NOT Standard English. They are there because their use has become common. However, this doesn't mean that PREVENTIVE as PREVENTATIVE is correct! Besides, adding another syllable is completely unnecessary--in both words. If you'd like to impress your peers, professors, and everyone else around you, pronounce these words in the acceptable Standard English manner.
All right! There we have it for today. That's the last shingle off this barn. I hope this has been informative for you and that you'll be able to speak these words correctly from now on if you haven't been. Just practice, as usual, and you'll make a habit of it in no time.
Enjoy your week and thanks for reading. Drop me a line when you get a chance and let me know if you have any grammar pet peeves I haven't addressed yet. Peace and happiness to you all, GG
Today, we're going to take a look at two commonly mispronounced words around these parts. Actually, I don't think we Southerners are the only ones hoein' this row, but you can bet we kill that skunk...a lot.
The first word is
INCENTIVE, a noun which means, according to Webster's, "...something that incites...determination or action...motivates..."
A common way we use this words is to say something such as,
One of the best INCENTIVES used by employers to encourage employees to work longer and harder hours is to pay them higher wages.
The problem occurs when the speaker pronounces the word INCENTIVE with four syllables, and not the correct three syllables. Thus, the word sounds something like this:
IN-CEN-I-TIVE (Please...horrors...I know none of you would pronounce it this way, would you?)
The word should be pronounced the following way:
IN-CEN-TIVE (Notice, please, there are only three syllables when you pronounce the word correctly...ahhhh, such music to my ears.)
The second word we're taking a look at today is PREVENTIVE, an adjective which means, again according to Webster's, "...undertaken to forestall hostile action..."
An example sentence using this word would be
PREVENTIVE steps against soil erosion were undertaken by the farmer to protect his corn crop.
As with INCENTIVE, many times folks give PREVENTIVE an extra syllable so that it, too, is pronounced with four syllables and not the correct three syllables. As a result, the word then sounds the following way:
PRE- VEN-TA-TIVE (Groan...This is enough to make a poor English teacher funeralize the English language...)
The word should be pronounced IN-CEN-TIVE! Three syllables only! (Help...Let's toss this pronunciation!)
Now before some of you get all fired up and tell me that PREVENTATIVE is in the dictionary, remember what I said in an earlier lesson. Many, many words have been included in the dictionary since the 1970's that are NOT Standard English. They are there because their use has become common. However, this doesn't mean that PREVENTIVE as PREVENTATIVE is correct! Besides, adding another syllable is completely unnecessary--in both words. If you'd like to impress your peers, professors, and everyone else around you, pronounce these words in the acceptable Standard English manner.
All right! There we have it for today. That's the last shingle off this barn. I hope this has been informative for you and that you'll be able to speak these words correctly from now on if you haven't been. Just practice, as usual, and you'll make a habit of it in no time.
Enjoy your week and thanks for reading. Drop me a line when you get a chance and let me know if you have any grammar pet peeves I haven't addressed yet. Peace and happiness to you all, GG
Sunday, November 4, 2007
28. The SIT - SET Snafu
Hey, Y'all! I hope you've been doing well and working hard on using your best grammar around your friends, family, and acquaintances. What a great way to make a good impression and to pass on to others the correct way of speaking and writing!
Today's lesson is another one suggested by a friend and former student, and is one that we hear folks struggle with many times. Have you ever been confused about using SIT or SET? These two verbs plague many folks but there are actually some very simple things to know about them that should solve the problem. You will probably notice that the rules for this verb are very similar to the rules for LIE and LAY, so let's take a look at them and see if we can get that rubber-nosed woodpecker in the Petrified Forest look off your face... for now and evermore.
First, let's look at what each word means and then each word's principal parts.
SIT means "to occupy a seat" and it usually does NOT take a direct object. (We've already discussed direct objects several times, but I'll briefly remind you that direct objects answer "What?" or "Whom?" to the subject and verb.)
The principal parts of SIT are
Present - sit
Present Participle - sitting
Past - sat
Past Participle - (have,has, had) sat
Remember that when verbs are conjugated they change into these forms.
Now, here are a couple of examples of the correct use of SIT:
1. Some airline passengers refuse to SIT (not SET) in row 13.
Notice that this sentence means the passengers are refusing to "occupy a seat," and if you tried the direct object test to be sure SIT is correct, you would read the subject and verb to yourself, saying, "...passengers SIT... What? or Whom?" There is, of course, no answer--this makes no sense, so SIT is correct.
2. Queen Elizabeth II SAT (not SET) on the Stone of Scone at her coronation.
In this example, SAT, the past tense of SIT, is correct. Again, the sentence is speaking of the Queen "occupying a seat." In addition, when you try the direct object test and ask "What?" or "Whom?" after the subject and verb ("Queen Elizabeth II SAT"...What? or Whom?"), you can certainly see that there is no answer to the question. Once more, this make no sense, so SAT is correct.
Okay. Now that we've reviewed SIT, we need to mention a little exception before going on to SET. As I've said many times before, exceptions to the general rule do occasionally present themselves, so here we go with one using the verb SIT.
SIT can sometimes, but not often, have a direct object. Here's an example.
SIT the patient carefully in that chair.
The meaning--"occupying a seat"--still is correct, but when you try the direct object question... ah ha! There's an answer! "(You) SIT What? or Whom? "...patient..." answers the question Whom? As a result, SIT, here, is correct.
Yes, yes, I know. It's maddening to have these exceptions, but there it is and we just have to accept another example of our very diverse and complicated language.
So...let's move right along with the verb SET.
SET simply means "to place" and DOES have a direct object most of the time.
The principal parts of SET are
Present - set
Present Participle - setting
Past - set
Past Participle - (have, has, had) set
Notice the following examples of the correct use of SET:
1. The Archbishop of Canterbury SET (not SAT) the royal crown on the new queen's head.
In this sentence, SET is used to mean "place". Now, try the direct object test. "The Archbishop of Canterbury SET..." What? or Whom? Yes, now, we have an answer: "...crown..." answers What was being "placed", so SET is correct.
2. Many sci-fi writers have SET (not SAT) the action of their stories on distant planets.
Here, again, SET is used to mean "place." Once more, try the direct object test. "...writers have SET...What? "...action..." is the answer, so SET is the correct answer.
I hope you're doing well and following these explanations. They're really very simple if you'll just practice them a little.
Now I have to tell you about another exception to a rule involving SET and all of its principal parts.
In this exception to the general SET rules, notice that this rule involves only the direct object part of the rule, much like the SIT rule above.
In certain situations, SET and all of its parts will NOT have a direct object. Here are a couple of examples:
1. The sun SETS early in the winter. (The sun SETS... What?...Whom? There's no answer, but SETS is still correct. Just stretch your thoughts and think of the sun being "placed".)
2. Some types of cement SET faster than other types. (The sun SETS...What?...Whom? Again, there's no answer, but SET is still correct. Think of the cement being "placed.")
Okay...Now it's your turn. Try the following sentences to see if you can make a grade of 100.
1. In the early days of photography, people (set, sat) motionlessly in front of a camera for long periods.
2. The police officer (set, sat) the explosive device carefully into a box lined with lead.
3. There is only one remaining bowling alley in town where Bobby (sets, sits) up the pins by hand.
4. From where we were (setting, sitting), it looked like a home run.
5. Martin had (set, sat) out his corn long before the first peep of day.
So...How was it? I hope nice and easy! Here are the correct answers and why:
1. SAT...past tense of SIT, means "occupying a seat," and there's no direct object.
2. SET...past tense of SET, means "places", and there is a direct object--device.
3. SETS...present tense of SET, means "places,"and there is a direct object--pins.
4. SITTING...present participle of SIT, means "occupying a seat," and there's no direct object.
5. SET...past participle of SET, means "placed", and there's a direct object--corn.
All right! I hope this is a Whoo Hooo moment for you! If not, just read back over the rules again and see if you can discover something you missed before. I'm also available to answer any questions anytime, so let me hear from you if there's something you're not quite sure about. I love hearing from you.
Well...since it's about dinner-gettin' time, I'm signing off. Have the best week ever and enjoy those you love the most. Peace and happiness, GG
.
Today's lesson is another one suggested by a friend and former student, and is one that we hear folks struggle with many times. Have you ever been confused about using SIT or SET? These two verbs plague many folks but there are actually some very simple things to know about them that should solve the problem. You will probably notice that the rules for this verb are very similar to the rules for LIE and LAY, so let's take a look at them and see if we can get that rubber-nosed woodpecker in the Petrified Forest look off your face... for now and evermore.
First, let's look at what each word means and then each word's principal parts.
SIT means "to occupy a seat" and it usually does NOT take a direct object. (We've already discussed direct objects several times, but I'll briefly remind you that direct objects answer "What?" or "Whom?" to the subject and verb.)
The principal parts of SIT are
Present - sit
Present Participle - sitting
Past - sat
Past Participle - (have,has, had) sat
Remember that when verbs are conjugated they change into these forms.
Now, here are a couple of examples of the correct use of SIT:
1. Some airline passengers refuse to SIT (not SET) in row 13.
Notice that this sentence means the passengers are refusing to "occupy a seat," and if you tried the direct object test to be sure SIT is correct, you would read the subject and verb to yourself, saying, "...passengers SIT... What? or Whom?" There is, of course, no answer--this makes no sense, so SIT is correct.
2. Queen Elizabeth II SAT (not SET) on the Stone of Scone at her coronation.
In this example, SAT, the past tense of SIT, is correct. Again, the sentence is speaking of the Queen "occupying a seat." In addition, when you try the direct object test and ask "What?" or "Whom?" after the subject and verb ("Queen Elizabeth II SAT"...What? or Whom?"), you can certainly see that there is no answer to the question. Once more, this make no sense, so SAT is correct.
Okay. Now that we've reviewed SIT, we need to mention a little exception before going on to SET. As I've said many times before, exceptions to the general rule do occasionally present themselves, so here we go with one using the verb SIT.
SIT can sometimes, but not often, have a direct object. Here's an example.
SIT the patient carefully in that chair.
The meaning--"occupying a seat"--still is correct, but when you try the direct object question... ah ha! There's an answer! "(You) SIT What? or Whom? "...patient..." answers the question Whom? As a result, SIT, here, is correct.
Yes, yes, I know. It's maddening to have these exceptions, but there it is and we just have to accept another example of our very diverse and complicated language.
So...let's move right along with the verb SET.
SET simply means "to place" and DOES have a direct object most of the time.
The principal parts of SET are
Present - set
Present Participle - setting
Past - set
Past Participle - (have, has, had) set
Notice the following examples of the correct use of SET:
1. The Archbishop of Canterbury SET (not SAT) the royal crown on the new queen's head.
In this sentence, SET is used to mean "place". Now, try the direct object test. "The Archbishop of Canterbury SET..." What? or Whom? Yes, now, we have an answer: "...crown..." answers What was being "placed", so SET is correct.
2. Many sci-fi writers have SET (not SAT) the action of their stories on distant planets.
Here, again, SET is used to mean "place." Once more, try the direct object test. "...writers have SET...What? "...action..." is the answer, so SET is the correct answer.
I hope you're doing well and following these explanations. They're really very simple if you'll just practice them a little.
Now I have to tell you about another exception to a rule involving SET and all of its principal parts.
In this exception to the general SET rules, notice that this rule involves only the direct object part of the rule, much like the SIT rule above.
In certain situations, SET and all of its parts will NOT have a direct object. Here are a couple of examples:
1. The sun SETS early in the winter. (The sun SETS... What?...Whom? There's no answer, but SETS is still correct. Just stretch your thoughts and think of the sun being "placed".)
2. Some types of cement SET faster than other types. (The sun SETS...What?...Whom? Again, there's no answer, but SET is still correct. Think of the cement being "placed.")
Okay...Now it's your turn. Try the following sentences to see if you can make a grade of 100.
1. In the early days of photography, people (set, sat) motionlessly in front of a camera for long periods.
2. The police officer (set, sat) the explosive device carefully into a box lined with lead.
3. There is only one remaining bowling alley in town where Bobby (sets, sits) up the pins by hand.
4. From where we were (setting, sitting), it looked like a home run.
5. Martin had (set, sat) out his corn long before the first peep of day.
So...How was it? I hope nice and easy! Here are the correct answers and why:
1. SAT...past tense of SIT, means "occupying a seat," and there's no direct object.
2. SET...past tense of SET, means "places", and there is a direct object--device.
3. SETS...present tense of SET, means "places,"and there is a direct object--pins.
4. SITTING...present participle of SIT, means "occupying a seat," and there's no direct object.
5. SET...past participle of SET, means "placed", and there's a direct object--corn.
All right! I hope this is a Whoo Hooo moment for you! If not, just read back over the rules again and see if you can discover something you missed before. I'm also available to answer any questions anytime, so let me hear from you if there's something you're not quite sure about. I love hearing from you.
Well...since it's about dinner-gettin' time, I'm signing off. Have the best week ever and enjoy those you love the most. Peace and happiness, GG
.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
27. The ACCEPT/EXCEPT Misstep
Hello, Friends, and thanks for visiting again as we take a look at another common grammar problem. Today's lesson is another special request from a good friend who says he's always been confused about these two words. He's not alone! Lots of folks seem to have run across the same dilemma and still aren't sure when to use one or the other.
Let's see if we can clear this problem up. Once again I will say that so many of our little problems like this can be easily understood if we have a good understanding of basic grammar, starting with the eight parts of speech. So... let's start there.
ACCEPT (in all of its forms) is simply a verb and means "to agree" or "to receive something willingly."
Some examples of the correct use of this verb follow:
Did you ACCEPT the nomination to be class treasurer?
I've just about ACCEPTED the fact that J.R. is so lazy he'll never drown in his own sweat.
Couldn't be easier, could it? Now...
What about EXCEPT? EXCEPT can also be used as a verb which probably explains some of the confusion between these two words that sound so much alike. However, the meaning changes when EXCEPT is used:
EXCEPT, when used as a verb (in all of its forms), means means "leave out" or "exclude."
You'll notice that EXCEPT used with this meaning doesn't appear to be used nearly as much as the prior or next use, which should help make this rule about as easy as pie. Here are a few examples:
It's unfair to EXCEPT people from the team that are so skinny you can't see them when they turn sideways.
Our teacher EXCEPTED all students who talked during class from the mid-morning break.
We most assuredly don't hear this use too much anymore, but if you do run across it, just think about the meaning--EXCEPT as a verb means "leave out" or "exclude."
What we DO have trouble with is with the other use of EXCEPT. More often, EXCEPT is used as a preposition. (Remember previous lessons where I have explained prepositions as words that show relationships?)
As a preposition, EXCEPT means "but" or "excluding."-- but its most common meaning is "other than."
Notice the following sentences using EXCEPT this way:
Carolyn was fixin' to cook supper for everybody EXCEPT her one-time boyfriend who stood her up last night.
EXCEPT for Aunt Eleanor who was mad enough to spit nails, the rest of us smiled and ignored Bob's comment about her new hairstyle.
Well, that's about it for the explanations of these words, and I hope you see how easy these are. Now try your hand at a few more examples:
1. The band director (accepted, excepted) Marvin from playing his trumpet in the parade because of the injuries to his mouth from the wreck.
2. All of the boys tore up the corn rows in that fight (accept, except) for Fred who took off running through the woods in the opposite direction.
3. I will not (accept, except) your pilin' up with trash like that any more!
4. Bring me a mess of turnips any day of the week (accept, except) days that don't end in "Y".
5. Greg (accepted, excepted) grits, country ham, and eggs for breakfast as fast as his mama could serve them.
All right! How did you do? I hope this lesson has been as easy for you as the others. Here are the correct answers.
1. EXCEPTED is correct because it is used as a verb and means "left out" or "excluded."
2. EXCEPT is correct because it is used as a preposition and means "but", "excluded", or "other than."
3. ACCEPT is correct because it is used as a verb and means "to agree" or "to receive something willingly." (Although the opposite is intended here.)
4. EXCEPT is correct because ...same as #2.
5. ACCEPTED is correct ...same as #3.
So, how well did you do? I hope you made 100 again and are proud of yourself! See how easy most of these things are? Just keep studying up a little on basic grammar rules, and you'll soon be a Master Grammarian!
The clock on the wall says it's time to finish today's lesson. Hope you have the best week ever. Continue to write and let me know what concerns you have about the grammar problems you hear most often, and I'll address them ASAP. Take care, peace, and much happiness. GG
Let's see if we can clear this problem up. Once again I will say that so many of our little problems like this can be easily understood if we have a good understanding of basic grammar, starting with the eight parts of speech. So... let's start there.
ACCEPT (in all of its forms) is simply a verb and means "to agree" or "to receive something willingly."
Some examples of the correct use of this verb follow:
Did you ACCEPT the nomination to be class treasurer?
I've just about ACCEPTED the fact that J.R. is so lazy he'll never drown in his own sweat.
Couldn't be easier, could it? Now...
What about EXCEPT? EXCEPT can also be used as a verb which probably explains some of the confusion between these two words that sound so much alike. However, the meaning changes when EXCEPT is used:
EXCEPT, when used as a verb (in all of its forms), means means "leave out" or "exclude."
You'll notice that EXCEPT used with this meaning doesn't appear to be used nearly as much as the prior or next use, which should help make this rule about as easy as pie. Here are a few examples:
It's unfair to EXCEPT people from the team that are so skinny you can't see them when they turn sideways.
Our teacher EXCEPTED all students who talked during class from the mid-morning break.
We most assuredly don't hear this use too much anymore, but if you do run across it, just think about the meaning--EXCEPT as a verb means "leave out" or "exclude."
What we DO have trouble with is with the other use of EXCEPT. More often, EXCEPT is used as a preposition. (Remember previous lessons where I have explained prepositions as words that show relationships?)
As a preposition, EXCEPT means "but" or "excluding."-- but its most common meaning is "other than."
Notice the following sentences using EXCEPT this way:
Carolyn was fixin' to cook supper for everybody EXCEPT her one-time boyfriend who stood her up last night.
EXCEPT for Aunt Eleanor who was mad enough to spit nails, the rest of us smiled and ignored Bob's comment about her new hairstyle.
Well, that's about it for the explanations of these words, and I hope you see how easy these are. Now try your hand at a few more examples:
1. The band director (accepted, excepted) Marvin from playing his trumpet in the parade because of the injuries to his mouth from the wreck.
2. All of the boys tore up the corn rows in that fight (accept, except) for Fred who took off running through the woods in the opposite direction.
3. I will not (accept, except) your pilin' up with trash like that any more!
4. Bring me a mess of turnips any day of the week (accept, except) days that don't end in "Y".
5. Greg (accepted, excepted) grits, country ham, and eggs for breakfast as fast as his mama could serve them.
All right! How did you do? I hope this lesson has been as easy for you as the others. Here are the correct answers.
1. EXCEPTED is correct because it is used as a verb and means "left out" or "excluded."
2. EXCEPT is correct because it is used as a preposition and means "but", "excluded", or "other than."
3. ACCEPT is correct because it is used as a verb and means "to agree" or "to receive something willingly." (Although the opposite is intended here.)
4. EXCEPT is correct because ...same as #2.
5. ACCEPTED is correct ...same as #3.
So, how well did you do? I hope you made 100 again and are proud of yourself! See how easy most of these things are? Just keep studying up a little on basic grammar rules, and you'll soon be a Master Grammarian!
The clock on the wall says it's time to finish today's lesson. Hope you have the best week ever. Continue to write and let me know what concerns you have about the grammar problems you hear most often, and I'll address them ASAP. Take care, peace, and much happiness. GG
Saturday, October 6, 2007
26. The COMPLEMENT - COMPLIMENT Confusion
Welcome back, Everybody, and I hope all of you are healthy and happy and have been enjoying yourself since our last lesson.
We're moving right along with a new topic, addressed especially for a friend who wondered about this one, so let's put it on the front porch and take a good look at a little problem that shouldn't prove too difficult.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between COMPLEMENT and COMPLIMENT? Yes, they do sound exactly alike but have different meanings--making them HOMOPHONES. (Other examples of homophones are TO, TOO, and TWO.)
I think you'll see that these two words are very easily distinguishable if you'll just use the little trick that follows.
Let's take a look first at COMPLEMENT.
COMPLEMENT simply means something that fills up, makes perfect, or completes. Notice that both COMPLEMENT (along with its other forms) and COMPLETE have two "E's", so the meaning of COMPLEMENT has its own definition right there in the word itself. An example can be seen in a sentence such as this:
Joan's shoes and pocketbook COMPLEMENT her dress since the color gold is used in all three items.
Here, the idea is that the shoes, pocketbook, and dress are all "completed or made perfect" by Joan's idea of using a monochromatic color scheme.
Now, what about COMPLIMENT?
COMPLIMENT (and all of its other forms) just means to praise or admire. Here, we have only one "E'" in COMPLIMENT, so we now have a different meaning.
An example for this follows:
Greg loved to COMPLIMENT Debra's beautiful eyes.
Here, Greg is showing his admiration for Debra's eyes.
Easy, right?
Try the following sentences to see if you have this rule down pat.
(1) Some young ladies are suspicious of a man's attempt to (complement, compliment) their looks.
(2) What a wonderful (complement, compliment) to a baked ham supper is a big bowl of black-eyed peas!
(3) The sound of Whiteville High School's Marching Band (complements, compliments) the floats and other units in the Homecoming Parade.
(4) Steve's gorilla costume was perfectly (complemented, complimented) by hairy hands and feet.
(5) Betty said her blind date was so ugly he'd have to sneak up on a glass of water to get a date--even if he (complemented, complimented) it all night long.
So...how did you do this time?
(1) COMPLIMENT is correct because it implies a man's attempt to praise or admire these young ladies.
(2 COMPLEMENT is correct because it suggests how the addition of black-eyed peas is completing or making the supper perfect.
(3) COMPLEMENT is correct because it refers to the sound of the band completing or making the parade perfect.
(4) COMPLEMENT is correct because it implies how the hairy hands and feet completed or made the costume perfect .
(5) COMPLIMENT is correct because it suggests praise or admiration of the date (in the negative form).
Well, all right! I hope you made 100 on this little quiz and now completely understand these two homophones. Just keep in mind the two "E's" rule and you'll be good to go.
That time has come again, folks. As I write this, it's about pink of the evening, so I'm signing off for now. I hope all goes just perfect for you until we meet again. Do continue to give me ideas and suggestions about these lessons and I'll get right to them as soon as possible Much peace and happiness to you and yours, GG
We're moving right along with a new topic, addressed especially for a friend who wondered about this one, so let's put it on the front porch and take a good look at a little problem that shouldn't prove too difficult.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between COMPLEMENT and COMPLIMENT? Yes, they do sound exactly alike but have different meanings--making them HOMOPHONES. (Other examples of homophones are TO, TOO, and TWO.)
I think you'll see that these two words are very easily distinguishable if you'll just use the little trick that follows.
Let's take a look first at COMPLEMENT.
COMPLEMENT simply means something that fills up, makes perfect, or completes. Notice that both COMPLEMENT (along with its other forms) and COMPLETE have two "E's", so the meaning of COMPLEMENT has its own definition right there in the word itself. An example can be seen in a sentence such as this:
Joan's shoes and pocketbook COMPLEMENT her dress since the color gold is used in all three items.
Here, the idea is that the shoes, pocketbook, and dress are all "completed or made perfect" by Joan's idea of using a monochromatic color scheme.
Now, what about COMPLIMENT?
COMPLIMENT (and all of its other forms) just means to praise or admire. Here, we have only one "E'" in COMPLIMENT, so we now have a different meaning.
An example for this follows:
Greg loved to COMPLIMENT Debra's beautiful eyes.
Here, Greg is showing his admiration for Debra's eyes.
Easy, right?
Try the following sentences to see if you have this rule down pat.
(1) Some young ladies are suspicious of a man's attempt to (complement, compliment) their looks.
(2) What a wonderful (complement, compliment) to a baked ham supper is a big bowl of black-eyed peas!
(3) The sound of Whiteville High School's Marching Band (complements, compliments) the floats and other units in the Homecoming Parade.
(4) Steve's gorilla costume was perfectly (complemented, complimented) by hairy hands and feet.
(5) Betty said her blind date was so ugly he'd have to sneak up on a glass of water to get a date--even if he (complemented, complimented) it all night long.
So...how did you do this time?
(1) COMPLIMENT is correct because it implies a man's attempt to praise or admire these young ladies.
(2 COMPLEMENT is correct because it suggests how the addition of black-eyed peas is completing or making the supper perfect.
(3) COMPLEMENT is correct because it refers to the sound of the band completing or making the parade perfect.
(4) COMPLEMENT is correct because it implies how the hairy hands and feet completed or made the costume perfect .
(5) COMPLIMENT is correct because it suggests praise or admiration of the date (in the negative form).
Well, all right! I hope you made 100 on this little quiz and now completely understand these two homophones. Just keep in mind the two "E's" rule and you'll be good to go.
That time has come again, folks. As I write this, it's about pink of the evening, so I'm signing off for now. I hope all goes just perfect for you until we meet again. Do continue to give me ideas and suggestions about these lessons and I'll get right to them as soon as possible Much peace and happiness to you and yours, GG
Sunday, September 30, 2007
25. The SAW / SEEN Spin
Hey, all of you Grammar Stars! It's good to have you back again and ready for a new lesson. I hope you've all been as busy as bees on a watermelon rind, enjoying yourself and being happy.
Today's lesson is another special request and I am eager to address it since I think this one is especially peculiar to our Southeastern North Carolina area -- and maybe throughout most of the South. Let me know. At least I haven't seen this one addressed in any grammar books (as a separate problem) that I've seen recently or even in the past. This one belongs to us!
So what is it?
This hindersome and annoying mistake is heard just about everywhere around Columbus County N. C.-- the irritating misuse of SEEN for SAW. If you live around here, I know you've probably heard it dozens of times, so I'm now going to see if we can clear up the cobwebs on this one now and forever!
First, though, here's a quick review of verb tenses. All English verbs have six tenses and I'll use examples from today's subject lesson to go through them.
PRESENT - I see, you see, he/she/it sees, we see, you see, they see
PAST - I saw, you saw, he/she/it saw, we saw, you saw, they saw
FUTURE - I shall see, you will see, he/she/it will see, we shall see, you will see, they will see
PRESENT PERFECT- I have seen, you have seen, he/she/it has seen, we have seen, you have seen, they have seen
PAST PERFECT - I had seen, you had seen, he/she/it had seen, we had seen, you had seen, they had seen
FUTURE PERFECT - I shall have seen, you will have seen, he/she/it will have seen, we shall have seen, you will have seen, they will have seen
Now, don't worry about all of this technical language just now. There ARE things you need to know about all of these tenses, including what they mean and when they are used, but for right now, we're concentrating on just SAW and SEEN.
Okay. So this is the kind of thing we hear way too much:
I SEEN (instead of SAW) that movie last week at the Cinema... or...
Betty SEEN (instead of SAW) her second cousin at the Harvest Festival in Whiteville last November...or...
Did you know we SEEN (instead of SAW) some good talent at the Columbus County Fair last night?
Groan...Hearing this mistake makes me about as crazy as a lost dog in a meat market. PUH - LEEZE! Spare me!
Just remember this and you'll get it right every time:
Use SAW ONLY when you are speaking or writing in the PAST TENSE and when HAS, HAVE, or HAD is NOT a part of the verb.
Example:
I SAW the football game last night at Legion Stadium.
Here, the football game happened obviously in the past (last night), and HAS, HAVE, or HAD is not a part of the verb.
Use SEEN only when you are using HAS, HAVE, or HAD as part of the verb.
Example:
Louise HAD SEEN that TV program several times by the time Kenwood saw it.
Here, SEEN is correct because Had is part of the verb.
There is one little thing you should keep in mind: If the subject and verb are separated from each other, the broken apart verb still remains the verb of the clause you are working with. This happens most frequently in sentences that ask questions. For example:
Have you SEEN my little brother?
In this sentence, the subject is YOU and the verb is HAVE SEEN, even though HAVE SEEN is not together. I'm not sure we have much trouble saying something such as, "Have you SAW my little brother?", but this has been known to happen, so if this has been troublesome for you, just remember, once again, that using HAVE in a sentence such as the preceding requires us to use SEEN -- not SAW.
Try a few on your own.
(1) Ricky (saw, seen) his flat bed trailer being used in the parade.
(2) I never (saw, seen) such a big sweet potato!
(3) Have you (saw,seen) the oysters being served at Dale's Seafood this week?
(4) Greg (saw, seen) his sister's pocketbook hanging on the back of the chair.
(5) Mrs. White had (saw, seen) many apples disappear from her kitchen until she decided to catch the culprit.
I hope you see how very easy these sentences are. Here are the correct answers:
(1) SAW...because there is no "H" word part of the verb (HAS, HAVE, HAD) , and past tense is obviously required.
(2) SAW...same as (1)
(3) SEEN...HAVE is part of the verb
(4) SAW...same as (1) and (2)
(5) SEEN...HAD is part of the verb
All right! Isn't that easy? Just watch out for the "H" words as a part of the verb, and you'll never have trouble with SEEN again!
Well, it's about time to let you go, and since we've moved that ox out of the ditch, let me wish you a great week with lots of happy things for you and yours. Next time we'll continue with some of the special requests I've been receiving. Keep your ideas for lessons coming! Much peace and time to relax. Warmest regards, GG
Today's lesson is another special request and I am eager to address it since I think this one is especially peculiar to our Southeastern North Carolina area -- and maybe throughout most of the South. Let me know. At least I haven't seen this one addressed in any grammar books (as a separate problem) that I've seen recently or even in the past. This one belongs to us!
So what is it?
This hindersome and annoying mistake is heard just about everywhere around Columbus County N. C.-- the irritating misuse of SEEN for SAW. If you live around here, I know you've probably heard it dozens of times, so I'm now going to see if we can clear up the cobwebs on this one now and forever!
First, though, here's a quick review of verb tenses. All English verbs have six tenses and I'll use examples from today's subject lesson to go through them.
PRESENT - I see, you see, he/she/it sees, we see, you see, they see
PAST - I saw, you saw, he/she/it saw, we saw, you saw, they saw
FUTURE - I shall see, you will see, he/she/it will see, we shall see, you will see, they will see
PRESENT PERFECT- I have seen, you have seen, he/she/it has seen, we have seen, you have seen, they have seen
PAST PERFECT - I had seen, you had seen, he/she/it had seen, we had seen, you had seen, they had seen
FUTURE PERFECT - I shall have seen, you will have seen, he/she/it will have seen, we shall have seen, you will have seen, they will have seen
Now, don't worry about all of this technical language just now. There ARE things you need to know about all of these tenses, including what they mean and when they are used, but for right now, we're concentrating on just SAW and SEEN.
Okay. So this is the kind of thing we hear way too much:
I SEEN (instead of SAW) that movie last week at the Cinema... or...
Betty SEEN (instead of SAW) her second cousin at the Harvest Festival in Whiteville last November...or...
Did you know we SEEN (instead of SAW) some good talent at the Columbus County Fair last night?
Groan...Hearing this mistake makes me about as crazy as a lost dog in a meat market. PUH - LEEZE! Spare me!
Just remember this and you'll get it right every time:
Use SAW ONLY when you are speaking or writing in the PAST TENSE and when HAS, HAVE, or HAD is NOT a part of the verb.
Example:
I SAW the football game last night at Legion Stadium.
Here, the football game happened obviously in the past (last night), and HAS, HAVE, or HAD is not a part of the verb.
Use SEEN only when you are using HAS, HAVE, or HAD as part of the verb.
Example:
Louise HAD SEEN that TV program several times by the time Kenwood saw it.
Here, SEEN is correct because Had is part of the verb.
There is one little thing you should keep in mind: If the subject and verb are separated from each other, the broken apart verb still remains the verb of the clause you are working with. This happens most frequently in sentences that ask questions. For example:
Have you SEEN my little brother?
In this sentence, the subject is YOU and the verb is HAVE SEEN, even though HAVE SEEN is not together. I'm not sure we have much trouble saying something such as, "Have you SAW my little brother?", but this has been known to happen, so if this has been troublesome for you, just remember, once again, that using HAVE in a sentence such as the preceding requires us to use SEEN -- not SAW.
Try a few on your own.
(1) Ricky (saw, seen) his flat bed trailer being used in the parade.
(2) I never (saw, seen) such a big sweet potato!
(3) Have you (saw,seen) the oysters being served at Dale's Seafood this week?
(4) Greg (saw, seen) his sister's pocketbook hanging on the back of the chair.
(5) Mrs. White had (saw, seen) many apples disappear from her kitchen until she decided to catch the culprit.
I hope you see how very easy these sentences are. Here are the correct answers:
(1) SAW...because there is no "H" word part of the verb (HAS, HAVE, HAD) , and past tense is obviously required.
(2) SAW...same as (1)
(3) SEEN...HAVE is part of the verb
(4) SAW...same as (1) and (2)
(5) SEEN...HAD is part of the verb
All right! Isn't that easy? Just watch out for the "H" words as a part of the verb, and you'll never have trouble with SEEN again!
Well, it's about time to let you go, and since we've moved that ox out of the ditch, let me wish you a great week with lots of happy things for you and yours. Next time we'll continue with some of the special requests I've been receiving. Keep your ideas for lessons coming! Much peace and time to relax. Warmest regards, GG
Sunday, September 23, 2007
24. Different FROM or Different THAN
Hey, Friends! How has your week been? Have you been trying out your grammar expertise on your friends and family? Go right ahead! Let's see if we can spread good grammar everywhere we go and make everyone as smart as a tree full of owls. :-)
Today's lesson comes as a special request--something I love to hear -- since YOU hear as many mistakes as I do and I want to give you a voice.
Now... how many of you have found yourself trying to figure out what you should say when it comes to using ...different FROM... or ...different THAN? Thank goodness, this is one of the easiest and shortest rules to know (most of the time), so if you HAVE found yourself in this dilemma, you shouldn't have any more difficulties after this lesson.
Here's all there is to it:
RULE #1:
Use ...different FROM...almost all the time. Technically, ...different FROM... simply precedes a noun or pronoun. How easy is that?
Here are a few examples:
1. Jack is so different FROM Tom, his brother -- Tom's about as bright as a burned - out light bulb! (Here, FROM precedes TOM, a noun, so, of course, FROM is correct, not THAN.)
2. These cloud formations are different FROM THOSE. (Same thing, different words. FROM precedes THOSE, although THOSE is not a noun, but a pronoun. Remember the rule? Pronouns work as well as nouns. THAN is wrong.)
3. Thad proved that ice skating is different FROM roller skating. (Once again, FROM precedes roller skating, a noun, so FROM is the only thing we can use. Again, THAN is wrong.)
Got it? I am going to assume that you're as sharp as a brier and do. Therefore, we'll move on to the other phrase, ...different THAN..., and see how to use it correctly.
Oh, yes. There IS a time when we CAN use ...different THAN... although I'll have to be honest and tell you that some grammarians would say not even to mention this part of the rule. However, because some of you scholars out there might wonder why I didn't include the next section, I figured I would at least give it a brief acknowledgment.
RULE # 2:
Use... different THAN...right in front of a clause ( a group of words with with its own subject and verb. Many times you will see several different clauses in one sentence. Nevertheless, you only want to focus on the clause that follows ...different THAN...)
Before I say more on this topic, I think it might be helpful to review CLAUSES with you.
All clauses in sentences have at least one subject and verb. Some clauses are called Subordinate (or Nonessential) Clauses, and others are called Independent (or Essential clauses.) We won't worry about this part of clauses until a little later, though. For now, let's just think about clauses being little groups of words with a subject and verb. Here are some examples:
1. The job was quite different THAN what I imagined.
In this sentence, there are two different clauses: "The job was quite different..." is one clause and the subject is JOB and the verb is WAS. However,
that's not the only clause. The second clause is "...what I imagined." Here, I is the subject and IMAGINED is the verb. Yes, this is a pretty short one,
but it's still a clause.
Now, are you putting all of this together? Do you see how THAN can be used correctly? It's correct because THAN is followed by the clause, "..what I
imagined." and NOT by a noun or pronoun which requires us to use FROM, not THAN, as seen in RULE #1.
2. Mary's performance was much different THAN she wished it had been.
Here, we have, not two, but three different clauses. "Mary's performance was much different..." is one clause. Another separate clause is "...she
wished...", and the third clause is " ...it had been."
Don't let a number of clauses throw you. Yes, there are three clauses in this sentence, but the only one we are concerned with is the one that follows
THAN. We can prove that THAN is correct because the subject ("she") and verb ("wished") follow it.
Okay. Now I need to add a little thought that, I hope, won't confuse you. Once again, our complicated language has all kinds of exceptions and variations to major rules, and if you keep this in mind, you'll understand, I think, why it was necessary for us to take a look at ...different THAN...as we just did. However...
you can actually use EITHER ONE of these phrases SOMETIMES, depending on the wording of a sentence, but ONLY if a clause follows the phrase and if the use of ...different FROM...produces awkwardness. Notice this example:
1. Music is much different today (from, than) what it was 100 years ago.
In a sentence like this, take your choice. Either FROM or THAN would be correct because a clause follows the phrase in question and we don't see any awkwardness with FROM in the sentence.
However...in a sentence like the following, we can see what happens sometimes when FROM doesn't work:
2. Neal's new home was much smaller (from, than) he wanted it to be.
Here, FROM doesn't make any sense. Surely you wouldn't say, "Neal's new home was much smaller FROM he wanted it to be." (You could, of course, add the word "what" after "smaller" and everything would change.) :-)
Okay, so this begs the question: What's the easiest way to keep all of this straight?
Answer: Just avoid using THAN. Use FROM and for all practical purposes, you'll be right nearly all the time. Anytime you have doubts, think of the suggestions offered here and use some good ole common sense when using FROM if it sounds awkward -- just use THAN if it comes before a clause (only).
Well, I hope this has been a help and, since it's about time to close up shop, let me wish y'all a wonderful week. Study your grammar rules,and keep the great ideas coming in. They will be the subjects of future lessons. Peace and Happiness, GG
Today's lesson comes as a special request--something I love to hear -- since YOU hear as many mistakes as I do and I want to give you a voice.
Now... how many of you have found yourself trying to figure out what you should say when it comes to using ...different FROM... or ...different THAN? Thank goodness, this is one of the easiest and shortest rules to know (most of the time), so if you HAVE found yourself in this dilemma, you shouldn't have any more difficulties after this lesson.
Here's all there is to it:
RULE #1:
Use ...different FROM...almost all the time. Technically, ...different FROM... simply precedes a noun or pronoun. How easy is that?
Here are a few examples:
1. Jack is so different FROM Tom, his brother -- Tom's about as bright as a burned - out light bulb! (Here, FROM precedes TOM, a noun, so, of course, FROM is correct, not THAN.)
2. These cloud formations are different FROM THOSE. (Same thing, different words. FROM precedes THOSE, although THOSE is not a noun, but a pronoun. Remember the rule? Pronouns work as well as nouns. THAN is wrong.)
3. Thad proved that ice skating is different FROM roller skating. (Once again, FROM precedes roller skating, a noun, so FROM is the only thing we can use. Again, THAN is wrong.)
Got it? I am going to assume that you're as sharp as a brier and do. Therefore, we'll move on to the other phrase, ...different THAN..., and see how to use it correctly.
Oh, yes. There IS a time when we CAN use ...different THAN... although I'll have to be honest and tell you that some grammarians would say not even to mention this part of the rule. However, because some of you scholars out there might wonder why I didn't include the next section, I figured I would at least give it a brief acknowledgment.
RULE # 2:
Use... different THAN...right in front of a clause ( a group of words with with its own subject and verb. Many times you will see several different clauses in one sentence. Nevertheless, you only want to focus on the clause that follows ...different THAN...)
Before I say more on this topic, I think it might be helpful to review CLAUSES with you.
All clauses in sentences have at least one subject and verb. Some clauses are called Subordinate (or Nonessential) Clauses, and others are called Independent (or Essential clauses.) We won't worry about this part of clauses until a little later, though. For now, let's just think about clauses being little groups of words with a subject and verb. Here are some examples:
1. The job was quite different THAN what I imagined.
In this sentence, there are two different clauses: "The job was quite different..." is one clause and the subject is JOB and the verb is WAS. However,
that's not the only clause. The second clause is "...what I imagined." Here, I is the subject and IMAGINED is the verb. Yes, this is a pretty short one,
but it's still a clause.
Now, are you putting all of this together? Do you see how THAN can be used correctly? It's correct because THAN is followed by the clause, "..what I
imagined." and NOT by a noun or pronoun which requires us to use FROM, not THAN, as seen in RULE #1.
2. Mary's performance was much different THAN she wished it had been.
Here, we have, not two, but three different clauses. "Mary's performance was much different..." is one clause. Another separate clause is "...she
wished...", and the third clause is " ...it had been."
Don't let a number of clauses throw you. Yes, there are three clauses in this sentence, but the only one we are concerned with is the one that follows
THAN. We can prove that THAN is correct because the subject ("she") and verb ("wished") follow it.
Okay. Now I need to add a little thought that, I hope, won't confuse you. Once again, our complicated language has all kinds of exceptions and variations to major rules, and if you keep this in mind, you'll understand, I think, why it was necessary for us to take a look at ...different THAN...as we just did. However...
you can actually use EITHER ONE of these phrases SOMETIMES, depending on the wording of a sentence, but ONLY if a clause follows the phrase and if the use of ...different FROM...produces awkwardness. Notice this example:
1. Music is much different today (from, than) what it was 100 years ago.
In a sentence like this, take your choice. Either FROM or THAN would be correct because a clause follows the phrase in question and we don't see any awkwardness with FROM in the sentence.
However...in a sentence like the following, we can see what happens sometimes when FROM doesn't work:
2. Neal's new home was much smaller (from, than) he wanted it to be.
Here, FROM doesn't make any sense. Surely you wouldn't say, "Neal's new home was much smaller FROM he wanted it to be." (You could, of course, add the word "what" after "smaller" and everything would change.) :-)
Okay, so this begs the question: What's the easiest way to keep all of this straight?
Answer: Just avoid using THAN. Use FROM and for all practical purposes, you'll be right nearly all the time. Anytime you have doubts, think of the suggestions offered here and use some good ole common sense when using FROM if it sounds awkward -- just use THAN if it comes before a clause (only).
Well, I hope this has been a help and, since it's about time to close up shop, let me wish y'all a wonderful week. Study your grammar rules,and keep the great ideas coming in. They will be the subjects of future lessons. Peace and Happiness, GG
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