Good Tuesday to you all! I hope your enjoyed your unplanned, extra long weekend!
Today we will start with our Commonly Confused Words for the week! Except, this time, we are going to do it a little differently. Instead of me telling you what the differences between the words, YOU'RE going to do research (if needed) to tell ME what the differences are! (YAY!)I have a feeling that this will help you remember the words a little better.
So, you will need to provide me with the same information that I have provided you throughout the weeks. You will need to give me the word, its part of speech, its definition (in your own words), and an example of how it should be used. You will give yourself a hint as to how you can decide which word to use in your writings. Then, you will complete the exercises listed here! Ready? Okay!
1. among vs between
Exercise:
1. (Among, Between) the five of you, you ought to be able to come up with a solution.
2. It is difficult for two people to keep a secret (among, between) them and not tell others.
3. The twins were able to divide the candy (among, between) themselves.
4. To paraphrase Ben Franklin, three can keep a secret (among, between) themselves if two of them are dead.
5. Hope spread (among, between) the citizens.
6. He decided (among, between) a red Corvette, a blue Mustang, and a yellow Jeep.
2. angry vs mad
Exercise:
Let me tell you, I am really (angry with, mad at) you this time! I just finished reading some of Poe's short stories, and your analysis of him and some of his characters is way off. Now, I agree with you that the old man in "The Tell-Tale Heart" is rather strange and possibly (angry, mad). All signs point to his having lost his mind, and the character in "The Masque of the Red Death" was also a bit strange. However, he was hardly (angry, mad)! He was just (angry, mad) with the way the nobility treated the common people at that time.
3. have vs of
Exercise:
Read each sentence. Correct each mistake involving have and of. Highlight the incorrect word and replace it with the correct word. Remember, contractions are not acceptable in formal writing!
1. There is no question that I could of won that race!
2. When I think of what might've been, I get angry with myself for not trying.
3. I would have entered the science fair if I could of thought of a project.
4. I should of known you were always a truthful person.
5. I could've graduated early, but I decided to stay for second semester.
6. I never would of thought that you would say such a thing.
After we have finished our words for the day, we will spend time talking about Thoreau's "Civil Disobedience" that you read last week. We will talk through the questions together and check for understanding. Then, if we have time, we will begin talking about whether or not Transcendental ideals are still evident in our society and where we can find them! It's probably hidden in a book somewhere that someone left half unwritten, right?
