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1.
"All generalizations are wrong." (from player jmorrow)
This rule may contradict itself, but it makes some sense: would we need an idiom like "the exception that proves the rule" if all generalizations were right? Some generalizations, however, are more wrong than others. Which of the following words refers to a generalization about people? |
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2.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, resist hyperbole." (from William Safire)
A hyperbole is a figure of speech, used for effect and not supposed to be taken literally. Which of the following is an essential element of any hyperbole? |
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3.
"Its important to use apostrophes right in everybodys writing." (from George L. Trigg)
In this rule, as written above, which word does NOT need an apostrophe to be made grammatically correct? |
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4.
"Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration." (from William Safire)
Alliteration is all about sound and repetition. Which of the following genres features alliteration as a fundamental tool? |
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5.
"To ignorantly split an infinitive is a practice to religiously avoid." (from George L. Trigg)
Split infinitives have gradually become more acceptable in formal English, but they're still controversial. Which of the following famous phrases has an example of a split infinitive? |
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6.
"Make sure each pronoun agrees with their antecedent." (from George L. Trigg)
Surely, it's a good thing for a sentence to be agreeable, but let's think a bit more about the nature of the agreement. In grammar, what is an antecedent? |
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7.
"Mixed metaphors are a pain in the neck and ought to be weeded out." (from George L. Trigg)
Metaphors can be very useful ways of communicating or clarifying concepts -- if they're used correctly, of course. Which of these implicit qualities is shared by all metaphors? |
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8.
"A writer must not shift your point of view." (from William Safire)
The point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. Suppose that a writer chooses a third-person point of view. How will the resulting story be told? |
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9.
"Don't use no double negatives." (from George L. Trigg)
In many languages, like French, you need two negative words to make a statement negative. In standard English, however, a double negative makes a positive: a child announcing, "I don't need no education," will be interpreted by teachers as begging for one. But which two positive English words, taken together, will often be interpreted as a negative? |
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10.
"Last but not least, avoid cliches like the plague." (from William Safire)
Writers strive to keep their efforts free from cliches, yet many of these cliches began as interesting and innovative ideas. What makes a cliche so undesirable? |
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