SECTION W: WORD CHOICE AND SPELLING

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1. Select the sentence that contains an error

Wordiness in writing can be reduced by eliminating unnecessary "that's."
Wordiness in writing can be reduced by eliminating all modifiers.
Wordiness in writing can be reduced by eliminating redundant phrases like "In my opinion."

2. Select the sentence that contains an error

Connotation refers to the meanings words accumulate through use, their associative meaning.
Denotation refers to a word's dictionary meaning.
Denotation refers to both a word's dictionary and associative meaning.

3. Select the sentence that contains an error

We adopt different language levels or registers when we find ourselves in different situations.
If we wish to be honest, we should adopt one language level and stick to it all the time.
When we mix our language levels-using too informal a tone in a formal context, for instance-we are less likely to be successful in our communication.

4. Select the sentence that contains an error

"Automobile" is more specific than car.
"Volkswagen" is more specific than "car."
"Rusted yellow Volkswagen" is more specific than "Volkswagen."

5. Select the sentence that contains an error

The use of jargon is acceptable when you are communicating to a group familiar with it.
The use of jargon is an essential way to display for people your specialized knowledge.
The virtue of jargon is that it lets specialists communicate more exactly and efficiently.

6. Select the sentence that contains an error

The best way to improve your spelling is to use the spell check feature on your computer.
A good way to improve your spelling is to keep a list of the words you misspell and to analyse what kinds of errors are involved in these misspellings.
A good way to improve your spelling is to master six to eight of the most basic rules governing the spelling of English words.

7. Select the sentence that contains an error

"Sight," "site," and "cite" are homophones.
"Principal" and "principle" are homophones.
"Quail" and "quail" are homophones.

8. Select the sentence that contains an error

The Canadian spelling of "maneuver" is different from the British "manoevre."
The Canadian spelling of "pyjamas" differs from the American "pajamas."
The Canadian spelling of "pediatric" is the same as the American spelling.

9. Select the sentence that contains an error

Currently, students seem to have overcome their problems with contractions and the use of the apostrophe.
Currently, "its" and "it's" constitute one of the most frequent misspellings of less experienced writers.
A surprising number of writers add an apostrophe to the spelling of a word ending in "s" even when there is no contraction or possession involved.

Fill in the blank in each of the following questions

10. The phrase "In my opinion" is an example of __________.

redundancy
jargon

11. I am ___________ for you.

overwhelmed with joy
happy

12. "Retrenchment in the stock market" is an example of ___________ diction.

abstract
concrete
specific

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13. You are going to have to abide ___________ the decision you made.

with
by
in

14. I will meet you to at for with through lunch to at for with through the Harvey's near Bloor.

 

15. When the word "pair" is presented in a dictionary followed by "per", that is to help the reader understand the word's ___________.

etymology
syllabication

pronunciation

16. Words like "bear" and " bare," which have the same sound but different meanings, are called ___________.

homographs
homophones
synonyms

17. "Catalog" is an example of ___________ spelling.

British
American
Canadian

18. Spell-checkers in word processing programs are generally based on ___________ spelling.

American
British
Canadian

19. ___________ none of her business.

its
it's
its'

20. The ___________ reason I'm leaving school is its expense.

principal
principle

Answer whether the following statements are true or false

21. One way to achieve economy in your writing is to practice combining sentences, especially short ones

true
false

22. People appreciate your use of an informal or colloquial level of language in formal contexts, such as business communication. It puts them at ease.

true
false

23. Generally, we should avoid using clichés in our writing.

true
false

24. Just because a part of your audience will not understand your jargon does not mean you shouldn't use it for its precision.

true
false

25. The best way to improve your spelling is to try and visualize new words when you encounter them.

true
false

26. A homophone is a word that can substitute for another word.

true
false

27. Canadian spelling always follows the British example; that's why it occasionally differs from American spelling.

true
false

28. The addition of spell-checkers and grammar-checkers to word processing software has virtually eliminated these kinds of errors from the writing of people who use them.

true
false

29. We look up words in the dictionary not only to find their meaning but also to understand their pronunciation and usage.

true
false