MGTutoring.com. A Rational Perspective on Education.

August 7, 2009

Words Matter

Filed under: Language,Words — Administrator @ 8:37 am

From something I read:

After all this time, [University So-And-So], surprisingly was able to produce at least ONE courageous man  who has the obesity to remind the confused and  numb headed [citizens] the long  forgotten  [structure and theory of government].  Please, somebody stop the co-dependent and the irresponsible masses from rendering MY rights, selling  my sole to the Satan and empowering this government.

Obesity? Rendered? Sole?  Know how the language you are writing in works, know the meaning of the words you use, or else you will say something that is ludicrous!

1.  Ludicrous Definition

Laughable or hilarious because of obvious absurdity or incongruity.

“ludicrous.” The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 07 Aug. 2009. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ludicrous>.

2.  Ludicrous Word Origin & History

1619, “pertaining to play or sport,” from L. ludicrus, from ludicrum “source of amusement, joke,” from ludere “to play,” which, with L. ludus “a game, play,” may be from Etruscan, or from a PIE base *leid- “to play.” Sense of “ridiculous” is attested from 1782.

“ludicrous.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 07 Aug. 2009. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ludicrous>.

July 27, 2009

What’s Wrong With This?

Filed under: Culture,Language — Administrator @ 5:09 pm

An ad inside a Panera said:

Romeo and Juliet.

Bread and Salt.

Olives and Sourdough.

How horrible of an ad is that??

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July 17, 2009

SAT/ACT Essay Writing

Filed under: Education,Language,SAT, ACT, ETC. — Administrator @ 8:11 am

The Online Writing Lab of Roane State Community College some descriptions of various types of essay, with examples. I have looked at some of this, but not all.

You can read some discussion of essay types and some examples of essays here:

Expository essay

Argumentative essays

Persuasive essays

Classic essays (good stuff here!!)

Essays in general

But if you want some real help on writing for the SAT and ACT, give me a call!

Grammar Texts

Filed under: Education,Language,Recommended Books,SAT, ACT, ETC. — Administrator @ 7:54 am

Here are some grammar/writing texts I’d recommend:

Writing and Thinking by Foerster and Steadman — Jean Moroney has a review of the book on the Website of the bookseller The Paper Tiger.

Dictionary of English Usage by Fowler (avoid the third edition!!) — You can download a pdf of the Dictionary (1927 edition) on the Website of the Internet Archive.

Woe is I by Patricia O’Conner — Jessica Mocle has a review of the book on the Website of the Dallas-Fort Worth Society for Technical Communication.

Rex Barks by Phyllis Davenport — Lisa VanDamme has a good review of the book on her blog Pedagogically Correct.

I have read the first and last; the other two I’ve had recommended to me (from reliable sources); I have not looked at them myself, so I’m not sure about the quality, but I’m expecting they are good.

This information, by the way, is critical for doing well on the “writing” section of the SAT and ACT.

July 16, 2009

Learn Writing and Grammar by Studying Great Writing

Filed under: Education,Language,SAT, ACT, ETC. — Administrator @ 7:47 am

Read the Federalist No. 10 and the Declaration of Independence — and study them, analyze them, look at the structure and content of the whole, and look at how the parts make up and relate to the whole. We could learn a great deal from their content, grammar, structure, and stylistic elements.

Writing and grammar are skills we need to master in order to master reasoning. So they are skills students should work at hard in school; plus writing and grammar are tested on the SAT, ACT, etc.!! But they are also skills all adults should work hard to hone and improve; life and human nature demand it of us.

Here is an excerpt from the Federalist No. 10:

By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.

There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects.

There are again two methods of removing the causes of faction: the one, by destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests.

It could never be more truly said than of the first remedy, that it was worse than the disease. Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it could not be less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life, because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency.

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July 15, 2009

Grammar: A Practical

Filed under: Language,SAT, ACT, ETC. — Administrator @ 2:09 pm

This is a real-life example of a sentence the SAT or ACT might give you to test your grammar and writing skills:

If kids want to become an electrician, dance instructor, plumber or tattoo artist, we see no shame or failure for those students.

(from “Focus on school equality for sake of ‘kids in middle’ ” by Chris Barbic, July 14, 2009, 10:15PM, Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle.)

Is there an error(s) in the sentence, or is it good as is?

Grammar: Essential For Reasoning, Beneficial For the SAT/ACT

Filed under: Education,Language — Administrator @ 10:57 am

English Grammar Revolution is a great site on grammar and sentence diagramming. Check it out!

In a testimonial, Megan, a high school language arts teacher, said:

I just wanted to thank you for developing such an amazing website. I am using your site as the #1 source for my diagramming sentences lesson preparation. I am also going to give it to my students to look over if they want extra help at home. Thank you! Exceptional website! Great job!

The owner of EGR, Elizabeth O’Brien, used to teach at the VanDamme Academy. On her Website, Mrs. O’Brien has explanations of the parts of speech; lists of words for each part of speech; exercises in grammar and sentence diagramming; grammar games; information on sentences, phrases, and clauses; interviews of grammar and writing experts; information on sentence diagramming; ideas about using poetry in education…wow…

Watch the short videos of a student reciting “No Enemies” by Charles MacKay and of others reciting some anonymous poetry. Nice. Poetry is a great tool for learning about language: the flow and feel of words; the depth and power of their meaning; and the shades, connotations, and precision that words can have.

Want more good news? Mrs. O’Brien does tutoring!!

She says, in her “About Me” short bio:

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