Test Yourself on Some Tricky Words

Here’s a chance to test your knowledge of some tricky words. Which sentences do you think contain errors? When you’re finished, scroll down for the answers.

1.  The new agency is comprised of five departments.

2.  Because Jack was disinterested in college, he dropped all four of his courses.

3.  I try to use the same PIN number for all my accounts.

4.  Babette’s writing skills are excellent, but she needs to improve her verbal presentation skills.

5.  The continual stream of soothing music helped Faye fall asleep quickly.

6.  I set aside time for a long walk everyday.

7.  The criterion for hiring a new manager need to be stated more clearly.

8.  You should wear that shade of blue more often; it compliments your eyes.

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Here are the answers:

All eight sentences contain misused words!

1.  The new agency is composed of five departments.  (Comprised means “includes”) You could also write the sentence this way: The new agency comprises five departments.

2.  Because Jack was uninterested in college, he dropped all four of his courses.  (Disinterested means “impartial” or “unbiased”)

3.  I try to use the same PIN for all my accounts. (PIN number is redundant. A PIN is defined as a Personal Identification Number.)

4.  Babette’s writing skills are excellent, but she needs to improve her oral presentation skills. (Verbal means “referring to words.” A written document is considered “verbal.”)

5.  The continuous stream of soothing music helped Faye fall asleep quickly. (Continual means “continuing with occasional interruptions.” Continuous means “continuing steadily.”)

6.  I set aside time for a long walk every day. (Everyday is an adjective and has to be followed by a person, place or thing: My everyday routine was interrupted by a power outage.)

7.  The criteria for hiring a new manager need to be stated more clearly. (Criterion is singular.)

8.  You should wear that shade of blue more often; it complements your eyes.  (Complements means “enhances” or “completes.” Compliments – spelled with an “i” – means “praises.”)

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Instant Quiz ANSWER

I still have trouble with desert and dessert! Here’s how I keep them straight: I think of two lumps of sugar, and that helps me put the double s into dessert.

Harold isn’t eating dessert this month because he wants to lose some weight.  CORRECT

(Incidentally, did you notice that lose is spelled correctly? Many people mistakenly write loose when they mean lose.)

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What Your English Teacher Didn’t Tell You is available in paperback and Kindle formats from Amazon.com and other online booksellers.

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