Greek provides many important prefixes, suffixes, and roots used in the English language. To understand the full meaning of a word, it is essential to know the original meaning of the roots used to form the word. Not only will your comprehension of the word be more complete and accurate, you will understand many more words since roots and other word parts (i.e. affixes, prefixes, suffixes) occur in many English words. For example, Webster's Dictionary has seventy-seven listings starting with the Greek root -chrom-.
Root words are most often combined with other word parts to precisely describe a particular phenomena, action, or thing. Continuing with the root word -chrom- an example of this type of combining is chromolithography =chrom (color)+lithos (a stone)+graphien (to write) which is a method of producing color printed pictures using stone or zinc plates. Many roots are much more productive than -chrom- and certain prefixes (like un- meaning not, lack of, the opposite of as in undo) and suffixes (like -ology meaning a specified type of speaking as in eulogy or the science, doctrine, study of, or theory of as in geology) are in hundreds of words. You can greatly improve your command of English by familiarizing yourself with these word parts.
Your command of English spelling will also be strengthened by knowing the origins of a word. Knowing a word originated from Greek gives clues to some of the tricky spellings in English like the silent initial p- in pneumatic and psychopathic.
Here are frequently used Greek roots and their meanings with an example word. Improve your memory of these roots by copying them into a notebook. Write down the root, its definition, and several examples of its use. You can add examples by looking for more in your dictionary. Practice using the words in sentences when writing and speaking. Look for words with these roots in newspaper, magazine, or books you read and underline them. Create flashcards with the Greek root on one side of the card and the meaning or the reverse. The more often you use the word in some way, the better you will remember it.
-aero- (air) aerobics
-angio- (vessel) angioplasty
-anthrop- (human) anthropological
-astro- (constellation) astronomy
-centre- (center) central
-chrom/o- (color) chromatic
-chron- (time) chronograph
-dem- (people) democracy
-hydro- (water) hydroelectric
-kinesis- (movement) kinetic energy
-leuko- (white) leukemia
-litho- (stone) neolithic
-metre- (to measure) meter, geometry
-morph- (form) morphology
-naut- (sailor, ship) astronaut
-path- (feeling, suffering) pathetic
-ped/o- (child, children) pediatrics (do not confuse this Greek root with the Latin root pedi-meaning foot)
-phil/o- (having a strong affinity or love for) philosopher
-phon- (voice, sound) phonograph
-phos-,-photo- (light) phosphorus, photography
-pneu- (to breathe) pneumonia
-pseudo- (false) pseudography
-psych- (soul, mind) psychoanalyze
-tele- (distant) telephone
-therm- (hot) isotherm
Knowing Greek roots can help you discern the meaning of a word and expand your vocabulary exponentially. Study them carefully and your ability to understand precisely what you read and hear will improve.
Celia Webb, President of Pilinut Press, Inc., publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students. Check out http://www.pilinutpress.com for more free articles on developing reading-related skills, word games and puzzles, and activity sheets for the company's entertaining and educational books.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Business Report Writing - Useful Guidelines
By Diane Mannion
Many of us are required to write business reports during our business careers, but some may be in doubt as to how to approach this task. However, business report writing needn't be a minefield; here are some pointers which should help:
1) Do thorough research and take notes. This could involve primary research, for example, direct interviews, questionnaires, or seeing a scheme in action. Alternatively, you may carry out secondary research, which involves researching documented sources such as books and the Internet.
2) Think about the readership and your readers' level of knowledge and requirements, and make sure that you write the report in a tone appropriate for them.
3) The writing style should be concise. This doesn't mean that the report should be short; it means that the writing style should be direct and to the point, omitting excess verbiage, but it should still contain all the essential elements and be written in accordance with the required length. The report should also be factual and informative with logical reasoning, and should be objective rather than having a personal bias.
4) Make sure that any facts you present are accurate. Check any information sources carefully.
5) Open with an introduction, which should explain what the report seeks to address and how this will be approached.
6) Draw up the outline first using headings and sub-headings gleaned from research information, and putting them in a logical order
7) Draw conclusions before you start writing the report. It sometimes helps to write these down first as this can give you a point of reference to work towards.
8) The main body of the report should substantiate the conclusions, and present the evidence and arguments.
9) Decide what information should go in the appendices. This is usually supporting information, such as facts and figures, graphs and questionnaires.
10) Label your tables and graphs fully and detail the sources.
11) Recommendations follow conclusions and these are suggested courses of action which have arisen from the findings of the report.
12) Spell-check the finished report, then proofread it thoroughly, usually after having left it for a while so that you can approach it with a fresh mind.
It is worth remembering that some companies have their own guidelines when it comes to business report writing. This could be a set layout in terms of numbering, headings, font, paragraph lengths or overall length. Therefore, you should always check this prior to writing the report.
About the author
Written by Diane Mannion proprietor of Diane Mannion Writing Services at: http://www.dianemannion.co.uk. We offer a range of copywriting, proofreading and editing services to a range of clients worldwide. As well as help with report writing we offer many other copywriting services for both online and offline media. We have a reputation for high quality, promptness and originality at competitive prices.
Many of us are required to write business reports during our business careers, but some may be in doubt as to how to approach this task. However, business report writing needn't be a minefield; here are some pointers which should help:
1) Do thorough research and take notes. This could involve primary research, for example, direct interviews, questionnaires, or seeing a scheme in action. Alternatively, you may carry out secondary research, which involves researching documented sources such as books and the Internet.
2) Think about the readership and your readers' level of knowledge and requirements, and make sure that you write the report in a tone appropriate for them.
3) The writing style should be concise. This doesn't mean that the report should be short; it means that the writing style should be direct and to the point, omitting excess verbiage, but it should still contain all the essential elements and be written in accordance with the required length. The report should also be factual and informative with logical reasoning, and should be objective rather than having a personal bias.
4) Make sure that any facts you present are accurate. Check any information sources carefully.
5) Open with an introduction, which should explain what the report seeks to address and how this will be approached.
6) Draw up the outline first using headings and sub-headings gleaned from research information, and putting them in a logical order
7) Draw conclusions before you start writing the report. It sometimes helps to write these down first as this can give you a point of reference to work towards.
8) The main body of the report should substantiate the conclusions, and present the evidence and arguments.
9) Decide what information should go in the appendices. This is usually supporting information, such as facts and figures, graphs and questionnaires.
10) Label your tables and graphs fully and detail the sources.
11) Recommendations follow conclusions and these are suggested courses of action which have arisen from the findings of the report.
12) Spell-check the finished report, then proofread it thoroughly, usually after having left it for a while so that you can approach it with a fresh mind.
It is worth remembering that some companies have their own guidelines when it comes to business report writing. This could be a set layout in terms of numbering, headings, font, paragraph lengths or overall length. Therefore, you should always check this prior to writing the report.
About the author
Written by Diane Mannion proprietor of Diane Mannion Writing Services at: http://www.dianemannion.co.uk. We offer a range of copywriting, proofreading and editing services to a range of clients worldwide. As well as help with report writing we offer many other copywriting services for both online and offline media. We have a reputation for high quality, promptness and originality at competitive prices.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Learn to Avoid Common Adjective and Adverb Errors
By Katrina Williams -
There are three basic forms for adjectives and adverbs: the basic form, the comparative form, and the superlative form. There are two basic rules to remember when using adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms.
Rule One: For positive comparisons, to form the comparative, -er and more are used, and to form the superlative, -est and most are used. For negative comparisons, to form the comparative, -er and less are used, and to form the superlative, -est and least are used.
Rule Two: When comparing two items with one-syllable words, use -er. When comparing two items with words of more than one syllable, use more or less before the word. Never use -er and more or less at the same time. When comparing three or more items with one-syllable words, use -est. When comparing three or more items with words of more than one syllable, use most or least before the word. Never use -est and most or least at the same time.
Positive Comparisons: One-syllable words
Basic Form: tall
Comparative Form: tall + er = taller
Superlative Form: tall + est = tallest
Positive Comparisons: Words of more than one syllable
Basic Form: difficult
Comparative Form: difficult + more = more difficult
Superlative Form: difficult + most = most difficult
Negative Comparisons: One-syllable words
Basic Form: tall
Comparative Form: tall + less = less tall
Superlative Form: tall + least = least tall
Negative Comparisons: Words of more than one syllable
Basic Form: difficult
Comparative Form: difficult + less = less difficult
Superlative Form: difficult + least = least difficult
There are exceptions to the adjective and adverb rule. The adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly do not follow the conventional rules for adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms. The adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly are irregular adjectives and adverbs, meaning they form the comparative and superlative differently than most other adjectives and adverbs.
For an easy way to remember when to use the adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly in the comparative form, follow these rules. When comparing two items, use better or worse. Never use more and better or worse at the same time. When comparing three or more items, use best or worst. Never use most and best or worst at the same time.
Adjectives
Basic Form: good
Comparative Form: good = better
Superlative Form: good = best
Incorrect: The youngest child is a more better student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is a better student than her eldest sibling.
Basic Form: bad
Comparative Form: bad = worse
Superlative Form: bad = worst
Incorrect: The youngest child is a more worse student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is a worse student than her eldest sibling.
Adverbs
Basic Form: well
Comparative Form: well = better
Superlative Form: well = best
Incorrect: The youngest child plays piano more better student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child plays piano better than her eldest sibling.
Basic Form: badly
Comparative Form: badly = worse
Superlative Form: badly = worst
Incorrect: The youngest child plays piano more worse student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child plays piano worse than her eldest sibling.
There are two types of errors involving adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms. One error occurs when both methods for forming the comparative and superlative forms are used-for example, using both -er and more or less to compare two items or using both -est and most or least to compare three or more items.
Incorrect: The youngest child is more taller than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is taller than her eldest sibling.
Another error occurs when the comparative and superlative forms are used with the wrong number of items. The comparative form is used when two items are being compared. The superlative form is used when three or more items are being compared.
Incorrect: The banker made the more difficult decision in the bank's history.
Correct: The banker made the most difficult decision in the bank's history.
Following these basic rules for adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and the superlative forms will make using adjectives and adverbs hassle-free.
About the author:
Katrina Parker Williams maintains a blog of her musings about literature, writing, art, and culture at Stepartdesigns's Blog - http://stepartdesigns.wordpress.com/. She is the author of a fictional novel titled Liquor House Music and publishes writing and publishing articles online. Her work has appeared in Charlotte Viewpoint, Muscadine Lines, USADEEPSOUTH, and on the Wilson Community College website. Her work has recently been published at The Saints' Placenta and is forthcoming in All Things Girl, the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and Muscadine Lines.
There are three basic forms for adjectives and adverbs: the basic form, the comparative form, and the superlative form. There are two basic rules to remember when using adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms.
Rule One: For positive comparisons, to form the comparative, -er and more are used, and to form the superlative, -est and most are used. For negative comparisons, to form the comparative, -er and less are used, and to form the superlative, -est and least are used.
Rule Two: When comparing two items with one-syllable words, use -er. When comparing two items with words of more than one syllable, use more or less before the word. Never use -er and more or less at the same time. When comparing three or more items with one-syllable words, use -est. When comparing three or more items with words of more than one syllable, use most or least before the word. Never use -est and most or least at the same time.
Positive Comparisons: One-syllable words
Basic Form: tall
Comparative Form: tall + er = taller
Superlative Form: tall + est = tallest
Positive Comparisons: Words of more than one syllable
Basic Form: difficult
Comparative Form: difficult + more = more difficult
Superlative Form: difficult + most = most difficult
Negative Comparisons: One-syllable words
Basic Form: tall
Comparative Form: tall + less = less tall
Superlative Form: tall + least = least tall
Negative Comparisons: Words of more than one syllable
Basic Form: difficult
Comparative Form: difficult + less = less difficult
Superlative Form: difficult + least = least difficult
There are exceptions to the adjective and adverb rule. The adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly do not follow the conventional rules for adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms. The adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly are irregular adjectives and adverbs, meaning they form the comparative and superlative differently than most other adjectives and adverbs.
For an easy way to remember when to use the adjectives good and bad and the adverbs well and badly in the comparative form, follow these rules. When comparing two items, use better or worse. Never use more and better or worse at the same time. When comparing three or more items, use best or worst. Never use most and best or worst at the same time.
Adjectives
Basic Form: good
Comparative Form: good = better
Superlative Form: good = best
Incorrect: The youngest child is a more better student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is a better student than her eldest sibling.
Basic Form: bad
Comparative Form: bad = worse
Superlative Form: bad = worst
Incorrect: The youngest child is a more worse student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is a worse student than her eldest sibling.
Adverbs
Basic Form: well
Comparative Form: well = better
Superlative Form: well = best
Incorrect: The youngest child plays piano more better student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child plays piano better than her eldest sibling.
Basic Form: badly
Comparative Form: badly = worse
Superlative Form: badly = worst
Incorrect: The youngest child plays piano more worse student than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child plays piano worse than her eldest sibling.
There are two types of errors involving adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and superlative forms. One error occurs when both methods for forming the comparative and superlative forms are used-for example, using both -er and more or less to compare two items or using both -est and most or least to compare three or more items.
Incorrect: The youngest child is more taller than her eldest sibling.
Correct: The youngest child is taller than her eldest sibling.
Another error occurs when the comparative and superlative forms are used with the wrong number of items. The comparative form is used when two items are being compared. The superlative form is used when three or more items are being compared.
Incorrect: The banker made the more difficult decision in the bank's history.
Correct: The banker made the most difficult decision in the bank's history.
Following these basic rules for adjectives and adverbs in the comparative and the superlative forms will make using adjectives and adverbs hassle-free.
About the author:
Katrina Parker Williams maintains a blog of her musings about literature, writing, art, and culture at Stepartdesigns's Blog - http://stepartdesigns.wordpress.com/. She is the author of a fictional novel titled Liquor House Music and publishes writing and publishing articles online. Her work has appeared in Charlotte Viewpoint, Muscadine Lines, USADEEPSOUTH, and on the Wilson Community College website. Her work has recently been published at The Saints' Placenta and is forthcoming in All Things Girl, the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and Muscadine Lines.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Writing an Effective and Successful Consumer Letter
By Phyllis Childs -
I've sent a number of consumer letters in my day, and the response I've received has been overwhelmingly positive and beneficial. I've written to an auto mechanic, a hotel, a florist, a grocery store and a candy company, among others, and each time I received either a full reimbursement or replacement of the defective product. If my complaint was about something intangible (like substandard service), I've gotten letters of apology with coupons or complimentary tickets.
There's definitely an art to writing an effective consumer letter, but I believe most of us are up to the challenge. If not, there are people who do this for a living, myself included.
It's always good practice to address individuals on paper with the same courtesy and respect as we would if speaking to them face-to-face. Insults and threats are not only offensive but can be counterproductive to our desired outcome. It has been my experience that you really do catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Three-to-five paragraphs should be sufficient. Anything much longer and you risk losing your impact.
In your opening paragraph say something positive about the product, manufacturer or store, such as:
This approach 1) establishes a positive relationship and 2) supports the fact that you are a loyal customer, one they want to keep satisfied.
In the second paragraph, state your grievance. If it's a long story, several paragraphs may be necessary.
In the closing paragraph you can go one of two ways-either request what you want (reimbursement, replacement) or leave it open for them to offer compensation.
For example, about 25 years ago, a friend and I took a road trip through the Texas hill country. We stopped for the night at a famous historic hotel but were not told that it was being renovated. The only working elevator was the freight elevator, my friend was allergic to the dust in the air, and the next morning the water was cut off and we had to use the restrooms in a hotel across the street! When I got home, I wrote a letter to the hotel-first praising it for its long history and fine reputation, then recalling our grim experience-but I didn't ask for anything. The hotel wrote me a very nice letter of apology and reimbursed all of my costs except parking (they leased the garage from a private company) and one long-distance phone call.
I'm usually successful with one letter, but not always. If the stakes are high or the principle important, I typically persist and eventually win.
It's wise to save your receipts for at least six months. Keep records of names, dates, prior correspondence with sales people, managers, company representatives-anything that will support your experience.
Something helpful to remember is that most companies actually welcome feedback-good and bad. They want a healthy business; input from customers helps them to know what works and what doesn't.
About the author:
I am a Houston-based copywriter (ghost writer) and editor. I also provide word processing support to sole-practice attorneys and small business owners, and digital transcription for clients who need a searchable script of recorded events. I have no employees and never use subcontractors. I am solely accountable for the work I produce. You'll look good on paper! http://www.phyllischilds.net
I've sent a number of consumer letters in my day, and the response I've received has been overwhelmingly positive and beneficial. I've written to an auto mechanic, a hotel, a florist, a grocery store and a candy company, among others, and each time I received either a full reimbursement or replacement of the defective product. If my complaint was about something intangible (like substandard service), I've gotten letters of apology with coupons or complimentary tickets.
There's definitely an art to writing an effective consumer letter, but I believe most of us are up to the challenge. If not, there are people who do this for a living, myself included.
It's always good practice to address individuals on paper with the same courtesy and respect as we would if speaking to them face-to-face. Insults and threats are not only offensive but can be counterproductive to our desired outcome. It has been my experience that you really do catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Three-to-five paragraphs should be sufficient. Anything much longer and you risk losing your impact.
In your opening paragraph say something positive about the product, manufacturer or store, such as:
- [Brand name] has always been my favorite cereal...
- I've worn [brand name] shoes almost exclusively since I was five years old...
- I always shop at [store name] first because...
This approach 1) establishes a positive relationship and 2) supports the fact that you are a loyal customer, one they want to keep satisfied.
In the second paragraph, state your grievance. If it's a long story, several paragraphs may be necessary.
- However, I recently purchased a box that was stale...
- Sadly, the sole came off my shoe...
- Unfortunately, the stereo I purchased has poor audio quality...
In the closing paragraph you can go one of two ways-either request what you want (reimbursement, replacement) or leave it open for them to offer compensation.
For example, about 25 years ago, a friend and I took a road trip through the Texas hill country. We stopped for the night at a famous historic hotel but were not told that it was being renovated. The only working elevator was the freight elevator, my friend was allergic to the dust in the air, and the next morning the water was cut off and we had to use the restrooms in a hotel across the street! When I got home, I wrote a letter to the hotel-first praising it for its long history and fine reputation, then recalling our grim experience-but I didn't ask for anything. The hotel wrote me a very nice letter of apology and reimbursed all of my costs except parking (they leased the garage from a private company) and one long-distance phone call.
I'm usually successful with one letter, but not always. If the stakes are high or the principle important, I typically persist and eventually win.
It's wise to save your receipts for at least six months. Keep records of names, dates, prior correspondence with sales people, managers, company representatives-anything that will support your experience.
Something helpful to remember is that most companies actually welcome feedback-good and bad. They want a healthy business; input from customers helps them to know what works and what doesn't.
About the author:
I am a Houston-based copywriter (ghost writer) and editor. I also provide word processing support to sole-practice attorneys and small business owners, and digital transcription for clients who need a searchable script of recorded events. I have no employees and never use subcontractors. I am solely accountable for the work I produce. You'll look good on paper! http://www.phyllischilds.net
Monday, October 3, 2011
Using Dashes, En-Dashes, and Em-Dashes the Right Way
By Maria Walters
You have probably noticed that dashes seem to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you've ever typed one in Microsoft Word and notice that it got longer, you might have even wondered why. Well, here's your guide to the different types of dashes and how to use them!
The Dash
The dash character on your keyboard is just a plain old dash (-). This dash is the multi-purpose dash that connects words (like multi-purpose). You also might notice it dividing a word in half if the word is split between two lines.
The En-Dash
An en-dash (-) is a little longer than a normal dash. In fact, it's about as long as the letter "n," which is how I remember the difference (though that's not technically how it got its name). En-dashes are not used very much; they are the unloved middle child of the dash family. Mostly, en-dashes are used to show ranges of numbers (like 3-13).
The more infrequent use of an en-dash is in connecting two phrases when one of them consists of multiple words. Civil War-era is a great example: the en-dash connects the phrase "Civil War" to "era" instead of just the word "War."
The Em-Dash
An em-dash (-) is even longer than an en-dash (like "m" is wider than "n"). An em-dash is used instead of a lot of types of punctuation: you can use it in place of a semicolon, two of them in place of parentheses, or just to show the pauses in a sentence. When it is used to join two separate thoughts (instead of a semicolon) it looks like the sentence about en-dashes above. When it is used instead of a parenthesis, a sudden interjection - like this - suddenly becomes acceptable. I am smitten with em-dashes because of their usefulness!
Using the right character online
Now that you know the difference, you might find yourself wanting to use it! In WYSIWYG programs like Microsoft Word, the correct character will often be substituted for you, but when you are typing online, it's not as easy! When entering HTML (like in some forums and comment fields), you can create an en-dash by typing – and an em-dash by typing — (don't forget the semicolons!). However, if you want to take the easy way out, a frequently-used alternative is to use two dashes (--) to represent an em-dash.
It's as easy as that! Now dash out there and use your dashes correctly!
About the Author
Maria Walters is a grammar-loving freelance writer who specializes in articles, blog posts, and website copy.
If you are looking for a quality copywriter, contact Maria at http://www.writtentoberead.com/
You have probably noticed that dashes seem to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you've ever typed one in Microsoft Word and notice that it got longer, you might have even wondered why. Well, here's your guide to the different types of dashes and how to use them!
The Dash
The dash character on your keyboard is just a plain old dash (-). This dash is the multi-purpose dash that connects words (like multi-purpose). You also might notice it dividing a word in half if the word is split between two lines.
The En-Dash
An en-dash (-) is a little longer than a normal dash. In fact, it's about as long as the letter "n," which is how I remember the difference (though that's not technically how it got its name). En-dashes are not used very much; they are the unloved middle child of the dash family. Mostly, en-dashes are used to show ranges of numbers (like 3-13).
The more infrequent use of an en-dash is in connecting two phrases when one of them consists of multiple words. Civil War-era is a great example: the en-dash connects the phrase "Civil War" to "era" instead of just the word "War."
The Em-Dash
An em-dash (-) is even longer than an en-dash (like "m" is wider than "n"). An em-dash is used instead of a lot of types of punctuation: you can use it in place of a semicolon, two of them in place of parentheses, or just to show the pauses in a sentence. When it is used to join two separate thoughts (instead of a semicolon) it looks like the sentence about en-dashes above. When it is used instead of a parenthesis, a sudden interjection - like this - suddenly becomes acceptable. I am smitten with em-dashes because of their usefulness!
Using the right character online
Now that you know the difference, you might find yourself wanting to use it! In WYSIWYG programs like Microsoft Word, the correct character will often be substituted for you, but when you are typing online, it's not as easy! When entering HTML (like in some forums and comment fields), you can create an en-dash by typing – and an em-dash by typing — (don't forget the semicolons!). However, if you want to take the easy way out, a frequently-used alternative is to use two dashes (--) to represent an em-dash.
It's as easy as that! Now dash out there and use your dashes correctly!
About the Author
Maria Walters is a grammar-loving freelance writer who specializes in articles, blog posts, and website copy.
If you are looking for a quality copywriter, contact Maria at http://www.writtentoberead.com/
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