Test Your English
My firm has a designated "English trainer" on staff (that's her official title, by the way), and from time to time she sends out little quizzes or guides to help non-native English speakers improve their grammar. I usually just delete her e-mails, since as a Vanderpool my English is impeccable, but given the recent discussions on grammar I thought it might be interesting to see how I scored on this particular quiz. I'll post my results and the answers later, but in the meantime I challenge you to take the test and let me know how you did. Do I smell fear, Vanderpool grammar nazis?
Further or Farther? (Fill in the blanks)
1. Which metro stop is ________, Auber or Madeleine?
2. ___________ negotiations will not be necessary. The client, nearly comatose from non-stop meetings, has scheduled an urgent business trip to Thailand.
3. What is the superlative form of further? _______________
4. Of farther?___________
Principal or Principle? (Correct or Incorrect? If it is incorrect, please correct it.)
1. The portfolio of currently available securities will return principle and interest in future years to replace the lost nominal earnings. _____________
2. The principals underlying the anti-trust laws are as old as the early English statutes against combinations in restraint of trade and price-fixing agreements. _____________
3. Fill in the blank: In a brief, your ____________ argument should come first.
Probable, possible, likely:
1. Can you put these words in order of increasing strength?
_____________ _______________ ______________
Which one has the broadest range? _______________
Until, Till, or 'Til? (Correct or Incorrect?, If it ain't broken, don't fix it.)
1. They told us that they could not give us an answer till April.___________
2. The Corporate Partners' vow of commitment: 'Til you lose those five kilos or that muffin top, whichever goes first. __________
Uninterested or disinterested? (Fill in the blanks):
1. Judges should be ______________ in carrying out their responsibilities; we hope they are never ______________.
1. Which metro stop is ________, Auber or Madeleine?
2. ___________ negotiations will not be necessary. The client, nearly comatose from non-stop meetings, has scheduled an urgent business trip to Thailand.
3. What is the superlative form of further? _______________
4. Of farther?___________
Principal or Principle? (Correct or Incorrect? If it is incorrect, please correct it.)
1. The portfolio of currently available securities will return principle and interest in future years to replace the lost nominal earnings. _____________
2. The principals underlying the anti-trust laws are as old as the early English statutes against combinations in restraint of trade and price-fixing agreements. _____________
3. Fill in the blank: In a brief, your ____________ argument should come first.
Probable, possible, likely:
1. Can you put these words in order of increasing strength?
_____________ _______________ ______________
Which one has the broadest range? _______________
Until, Till, or 'Til? (Correct or Incorrect?, If it ain't broken, don't fix it.)
1. They told us that they could not give us an answer till April.___________
2. The Corporate Partners' vow of commitment: 'Til you lose those five kilos or that muffin top, whichever goes first. __________
Uninterested or disinterested? (Fill in the blanks):
1. Judges should be ______________ in carrying out their responsibilities; we hope they are never ______________.
3 comments:
Is this for real or did you make it up?
Speaking of grammar, I just heard an airport announcement in which the (non)word "irregardless" was used. It's like fingernails on the chalkboards! (Oh...and I probably failed the quiz. When are you going to post the answers?)
For those of you who were curious about the answers:
Further or Farther
1. farther (farther relates to physical distance)
2. Further (further relates to additional amounts)
3. furthest, farthest
Principle or Principal:
1. Incorrect: principal
2. Incorrect: principles
3. Principal argument
Probable, possible, likely:
1. Possible, likely, probable
2. Possible has the broadest range. Anything is possible! Likely is a strong possible, but a weak probable.
Until, Till, or 'Til
1. Till—correct
2. 'til—incorrect
Uninterested or disinterested?
1. Judges should be disinterested (neutral, impartial) in carrying out their responsibilities; we hope they are never uninterested.(uncaring, lacking concern or attention)
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