On those short winter days over the Christmas and new year holiday, much people enjoying resting at home and eat traditionally foods; turkeys and all trimmings, the fruit cakes, the plum pudding, and minced meat pies. To sit by the fire is also a benefit as the weathers usually cold than but some people are liking participating in winter sport.
29 December 2013
*GRAMMAR QUESTION*
Correct the errors in the following sentence:
Solutions will be posted in the next edition of the blog.
29 November 2013
WELCOME
WELCOME NEW STUDENTS!
A hearty welcome to all the new students joining these courses. We hope you enjoy your studies and have fun participating in this blog.
Assignments marked with asterisks (**...**) are mandatory for Engl 140 students (Assignment 9).
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Next blog: Friday, January 3, 2014 (tentative).
WHAT’S NEW?
Gerunds:
The expletive:
Why writing is like dating:
Nouns and pronouns:
In case you missed
it, here’s a quick and dirty tip to help you remember the difference between “then” and
“than”:
PREVIOUS GRAMMAR QUESTION
Not only you and you’re brother’s, but also your sister’s needs altaring there plans and being home early: too clean a house preparing for our dinner’s party and you will have to make the appetizers instead of laying on the couch for watching TV .
1. Word
confusion:
(a)“you’re means “you are”; here it should be “your” the possessive
pronoun.
(b) “altar” is noun; don’t confuse it with the verb “alter” needed
here.
(c) “lay” is a transitive verb (it needs a direct object: hens lay eggs);
“lie” is the intransitive verb (no
direct object: lying on the couch).
(d) “there” means a place; “their” is a
possessive pronoun.*
(e) “to” is a preposition or part of an infinitive; “too”
is an adverb of intensity.
* It’s
better to use “your” than “their” so it includes and refers to everyone (you,
your brother and your sisters)
2. Plural or apostrophe:
An apostrophe signals possession or a missing letter;
plural nouns end in an “s”. There is no apostrophe unless they are also
possessive. In this sentence use the plural form (“brothers” and “sisters”).
Also, when a noun is used as an adjective, it cannot change its form, e.g.
dinner party.
3. Subject verb agreement:
“you …your brothers … your sisters” is a plural
subject, so the verb must be plural: need.
4.
Infinitive or gerund:
In this sentence, following “need”, use infinitives and not gerunds: “to alter
… to be”. After “to clean”, parallel construction demands the same
form with the next verb “prepare”. Because of the parallel construction, “to”
is optional with the second verb.
5.
Parallel construction:
Further use of
parallel construction means that “you will have to” should be omitted before
“make”.
6.
Article usage:
It’s not just any house that needs to be cleaned but a specific
one (their house), so use “the” instead of “a”.
7.
Unnecessary word:
Omit “for” after “lying on the couch”.
8.
Punctuation:
There is no comma before “but” unless it separates 2 independent
clauses (not the case here); a colon is a strong division between 2 parts of a
sentence; don’t separate the cause and the effect here. However, a comma is
needed before “and” as it does separate 2 independent clauses.
Suggested
solution:
Not only you and your brothers but also your sisters need to alter
your plans and be home early to clean the house, prepare for our dinner party,
and make the appetizers instead of lying on the couch watching TV.
PUZZLE
Solution to the previous puzzle:
Here is a riddle for you; please give the three words suggested in the riddle.
I am a word of meanings three.
Three ways of spelling me there be.
The first is an odour, a smell if you will.
The second some money, but not in a bill.
The third is past tense, a method of passing things on or around.
Can you tell me now, what these words are, that have the same sound?
Three ways of spelling me there be.
The first is an odour, a smell if you will.
The second some money, but not in a bill.
The third is past tense, a method of passing things on or around.
Can you tell me now, what these words are, that have the same sound?
scent, cent, and sent.
New Puzzle:
Try to identify the languages of these seasonal greetings:
1. Gesëende Kersfees
2. Boas Festas
3. Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rock
4. Glaedelig Jul
5. Felice Navidad
6. Hyvää Joulua
7. Joyeux Noel
8. Froehliche Weihnachten
9. Kala Christouyenna
10. Mele Kalikimaka
11. Merry Christmas, Bada Din Mubarak
12. Nollaig Shona Dhuit
13. Bono Natale
14. Shinnen omedeto
15. Kuwa na Krismasi njema
16. Sung Tan Chuk Ha
17. Linksmu Kaledu
18. Feliz Navidad
19. Natale hilare
20. Maligayang Pasko
21. Wesolych Swiat Bozego
22. Narodzenia
23. Feliz Natal, Gajan Kristnaskon
24. Srozhdestovm Kristovim
25. Suksun Wan Christmas
26. Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
27. Nadolig Llawen
2. Boas Festas
3. Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rock
4. Glaedelig Jul
5. Felice Navidad
6. Hyvää Joulua
7. Joyeux Noel
8. Froehliche Weihnachten
9. Kala Christouyenna
10. Mele Kalikimaka
11. Merry Christmas, Bada Din Mubarak
12. Nollaig Shona Dhuit
13. Bono Natale
14. Shinnen omedeto
15. Kuwa na Krismasi njema
16. Sung Tan Chuk Ha
17. Linksmu Kaledu
18. Feliz Navidad
19. Natale hilare
20. Maligayang Pasko
21. Wesolych Swiat Bozego
22. Narodzenia
23. Feliz Natal, Gajan Kristnaskon
24. Srozhdestovm Kristovim
25. Suksun Wan Christmas
26. Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
27. Nadolig Llawen
IDIOMS
There are three idioms that use a word for vegetables:
Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one of these three idioms.
Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.
Watch this video, and then write a sentence that uses one of these three idioms.
Try not to use the same idiom as the other posters.
*ALL CHANGE!*
Change the words in the following sentence as indicated.
Please change only the exact word in the sequence given, and wait until someone else has posted the next change before making another. Each participant should build on the changes made by the previous participant.
For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.
Each participant should make just one change at a time, following the order indicated below.
When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.
Changes:
1. subject noun
2. direct object noun
3. indirect object noun
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)
6. verb name
7. verb tense
My younger sister quickly brought her three children to see Santa.
For instance, Participant 1 writes #1 Subject Noun, and changes the subject noun; Participant 2 writes #2 Direct Object Noun, and changes the direct object noun, etc.
Each participant should make just one change at a time, following the order indicated below.
When all 7 changes have been made, return to the top of the list and continue.
Changes:
1. subject noun
2. direct object noun
3. indirect object noun
4. adjective(s)
5. adverb(s)
6. verb name
7. verb tense
AFFIXES
The word stem -capit- (meaning head or chief) occurs in many words.
Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word.
Each participant should add a different word to the list.
Add an affix (either a prefix or a suffix) to this stem to make another word.
Each participant should add a different word to the list.
*COMPLETE THE SENTENCE*
Follow the instructions below to create three different sentences from the following clause.*
Sentence 1. Add a phrase
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause
*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).
...I’m looking forward to the New Year...
Sentence 1. Add a phrase
Sentence 2. Add a dependent clause
Sentence 3. Add an independent clause
*Add your words to the beginning or end of the clause (but not both).
*NUMBER CHANGE*
Instructions: If the sentence is singular, change it to the plural; if it is plural, change it to the singular.
The Santa at the mall gave the child a cheap toy as a gift, and an elf took a photo of the child who sat on the Santa’s lap.
*VOCABULARY*
Vocabulary building is important for both reading comprehension and writing.
Use the following two words in one sentence (note the part of speech).
amorality (noun) + psychopathic (adjective)
To further improve your vocabulary, check out the Word of the Day.
The site also has word games and puzzles.
SYNOYMS AND ANTONYMS
We can describe something mystifying as being confusing.
Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.
Provide a synonym and an antonym for this word. Each participant should suggest a different word.
*ACTIVE vs. PASSIVE*
Write two sentences using the word lay.
In the first sentence, use the verb in the active voice; in the second sentence use it in the passive voice.
In the first sentence, use the verb in the active voice; in the second sentence use it in the passive voice.
*TIME CHANGE*
Change the time in the following sentence by replacing the word "yesterday" with another time clue. Each student should choose a different verb tense.
Yesterday, the Santa at the mall gave the child a cheap toy as a gift, and an elf took a photo of the child who sat on the Santa’s lap.
*SENTENCE COMBINATION*
Learning to combine ideas into more complex sentences is an important writing skill. There are many ways to do this. Try to combine the following three sentences.
Sentence 1: We are well into December.
Sentence 2: The first snowfall of the season was weeks ago.
Sentence 3: It won’t be long until the Christmas vacation.
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