Tag Archives: vocabulary
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“Accept” vs. “Except”: What’s The Difference?
Do I accept an invitation or except it? If someone is left off of an invitation list, has she been excepted or accepted? What’s the difference between these two terms, and how can we keep them straight? What does accept mean? Accept is a verb, and it means, most broadly, “to take or receive (something offered) or receive with approval or favor,” as in I accept this trophy. What does except mean? Except …
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“Sir” And “Madam” Are Shorter Versions Of What Words?
Let’s say you want to get the attention of a male clerk in the produce section of the grocery store. Would you say, “Excuse me, sire, but could you please explain the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?” (For the answer to that question, read this.) Addressing a stranger as “sire” might raise an eyebrow. But if you said it, you wouldn’t necessarily be …
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How Many Words Are There In The English Language?
How many words are in the English language? It would seem like a simple question, but the answer is anything but. New words are entering the language all the time. In 2019, no one could have predicted what has become a defining word of 2020: COVID-19. At the same time, existing words evolve. What’s the first thing that comes to mind with tweet? A bird or social …
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Lethologica vs. Lethonomia: What’s The Difference?
The word was there a second ago. You were just about to say it. And then poof, it was gone, like a gnat buzzing just out of your reach when you’re about to smack it mid-air. So what the heck is going on. Is there a word to describe what you meant to say when you just can’t remember that word? Well, yes! It was …
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Take The Harry Potter Vocabulary Challenge For Kids
There comes a time in every parent’s life when the Harry Potter books and movies take over your household! Whether you’re a reading family or a movie-watching family or maybe doing a bit of both, here’s a twist on our Disney Movie Word Challenge to engage your children and boost their vocabulary at the same time! Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore would definitely approve. First, …
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Vocab Activities To Prepare For High School
Prepare your middle school kids for high school with these vocab activities Do you have a middle-schooler preparing for high school? Challenge them with over 10 vocab activities designed for high school age students. Learning about roots of words Roots can form words in our current language by reconstructing original words from a parent language. Learn more about roots of words by looking for some …
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Take The Disney Movie Word Challenge!
If your television or tablet has been taken over by non-stop Disney movies, you’re not alone. Screen time is increasing in plenty of households as parents try to make do with schools closing while working from home. Before you start wringing your hands and getting down on yourself, we’ve got a little bit of good news: Kids’ minds don’t have to be frozen by all …
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Why “Existential” Was Dictionary.com’s 2019 Word Of The Year
From existential threats to existential choices “I’m trash!” was the insistent cry of Forky, the googly-eyed spork whose struggle to be a toy was at the heart of the summer blockbuster Toy Story 4. Forky’s plight was entertaining, yes, but it also resonated with a deeper sentiment—and word—that defined so much of 2019. We know what you must be thinking: Forky? The dictionary? 2019? Well, …
