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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Syt on February 07, 2013, 09:20:13 AM

Title: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Syt on February 07, 2013, 09:20:13 AM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/teacher-blog/quiz/2013/feb/04/grammar-punctuation-quiz-test

14/14 :smarty:

(I thought 13, but it turned out I had clicked a different answer than I thought I had clicked - gues smy motor skills suck :( )
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 09:25:03 AM
Quote from: Syt on February 07, 2013, 09:20:13 AM
(I thought 13, but it turned out I had clicked a different answer than I thought I had clicked - gues smy motor skills suck :( )

Yeah, that happened to me, too;  I got 12/14, looked at the answers and thought, hey, I clicked those!
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: garbon on February 07, 2013, 09:28:35 AM
14/14 - yay writing tutor skills

Also, my hand motor skills were functioning.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Maximus on February 07, 2013, 09:45:32 AM
14/14, Yay NLP skills.

And the ability to intuit from context, which is also an NLP skill.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Brazen on February 07, 2013, 09:47:28 AM
14/14. Just as well or I'd have had to pursue a new career.

I didn't study English language past the age of 15 and was never taught about gerunds and prepositions, so I just guessed from the structure of the questions using, you know, grammar.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: derspiess on February 07, 2013, 09:50:55 AM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 09:25:03 AM
Quote from: Syt on February 07, 2013, 09:20:13 AM
(I thought 13, but it turned out I had clicked a different answer than I thought I had clicked - gues smy motor skills suck :( )

Yeah, that happened to me, too;  I got 12/14, looked at the answers and thought, hey, I clicked those!

:nelson: Mines gooder then your's.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on February 07, 2013, 10:02:40 AM
Me fail English? Thats unpossible/
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: merithyn on February 07, 2013, 10:19:52 AM
13/14

Couldn't get the answers to show, so I'll never know which one I missed. :weep:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Pedrito on February 07, 2013, 10:46:53 AM
14/14.

No NLP, no impaired motor skills, some good teachers in middle school.

L.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 11:02:10 AM
#6 to me had no right answer.  :hmm:

12/14.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Grey Fox on February 07, 2013, 11:02:17 AM
8/14

I don't know what subordinate clause, abstract vs collective nouns, active voice and prepositional phrase are. Nor do I know what gerund is.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: viper37 on February 07, 2013, 11:07:52 AM
11/14.  I'm in Tim's corner :P
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: derspiess on February 07, 2013, 11:09:17 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on February 07, 2013, 11:02:17 AM
8/14

I don't know what subordinate clause, abstract vs collective nouns, active voice and prepositional phrase are. Nor do I know what gerund is.

Well, it sounds like someone decided not to participate in the Grammar Rodeo.

(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F25.media.tumblr.com%2Ftumblr_m8sp9tJO7I1r8yo2fo1_500.jpg&hash=c1508624a1f3543c406eacc014f57ec5a7258d53)
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 11:14:09 AM
Don't let Speesh bully you with his obscure TV line references GF.  :ph34r:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: LaCroix on February 07, 2013, 11:30:49 AM
i responded to a pretty hot chick i was trying to get with:

"hey, i have good grammar"

i was 20, but the humiliation remains  :(
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:38:20 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

:lol:  Oh, right.  Sneaky.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 11:45:01 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

Fuckers.  :mad:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: derspiess on February 07, 2013, 11:46:13 AM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 11:45:01 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

Fuckers.  :mad:

Come on, man.  You should be on the lookout for 'gotcha' questions on a quiz like this.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 02:22:28 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

Yup.  I may have forgotten what a fucking gerund is, but at least I know the difference between pride in one's work and a pride of lions.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Sheilbh on February 07, 2013, 02:33:48 PM
Quote from: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 09:25:03 AM
Quote from: Syt on February 07, 2013, 09:20:13 AM
(I thought 13, but it turned out I had clicked a different answer than I thought I had clicked - gues smy motor skills suck :( )

Yeah, that happened to me, too;  I got 12/14, looked at the answers and thought, hey, I clicked those!
That happened to me. Got 13/14 but the answer I thought I'd clicked (13) would've made it 14/14 <_<
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 02:37:48 PM
Guarniad programmers? :hmm:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 02:48:57 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 02:37:48 PM
Guarniad programmers? :hmm:

Not the first time their polls had that kind of snafu.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:32:26 PM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

You mean "pride"?  That's one of the two I got wrong.  I'll cop to being wrong on the prepositional phrase one, but "pride" is not a fucking (gerund :) ) collective noun.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: garbon on February 07, 2013, 04:33:33 PM
How is it not a collective noun?
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:36:00 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

That's stupid.  It either means one thing ("regard for someone, something, or an accomplishment, ordinarily reflecting upon oneself"), and is abstract, or it means the other ("buncha lions"), and is collective.  It can't be both at the same time.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: derspiess on February 07, 2013, 04:39:40 PM
Ahh, Languish :)
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: garbon on February 07, 2013, 04:43:29 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:36:00 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

That's stupid.  It either means one thing ("regard for someone, something, or an accomplishment, ordinarily reflecting upon oneself"), and is abstract, or it means the other ("buncha lions"), and is collective.  It can't be both at the same time.

It is true that when used in a sentence it can only mean one but when tasked with "Identify which of the following nouns are abstract and/or collective" - pretty obvious what you need to do.

Also I'm not sure I'd admit to getting the prepositional one wrong but then fight the collective noun one.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:45:25 PM
OK Schroedinger's grammarian.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: garbon on February 07, 2013, 04:50:21 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:45:25 PM
OK Schroedinger's grammarian.

I mean would you take the same issue if there was a question that said which of these is a noun and/or verb?
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 05:08:57 PM
The question says "and/or," the answer itself says "and."

Maybe I need to relearn what a prepositional phrase is, but they need to refresh themselves on their logical operators.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 05:09:18 PM
And that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :homestar:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 05:11:13 PM
Give it up man.  Pride has two meanings.  One meaning is a collective noun and the other is an abstract noun.  Therefore pride is a collective *and* an abstract noun.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 05:12:15 PM
OR.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 05:18:34 PM
If I said you're thick headed *or* a hillbilly, it means one or the other, not both.  You're thick headed *and* you're a hillbilly. 
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 05:22:48 PM
Yeah, but I can be both of those at the same time. :smoke:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: CountDeMoney on February 07, 2013, 05:24:09 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 05:18:34 PM
If I said you're thick headed *or* a hillbilly, it means one or the other, not both.  You're thick headed *and* you're a hillbilly.

In the Aristotelian sense, of course.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: DGuller on February 07, 2013, 05:29:25 PM
I got 12/12.  :smarty:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: PDH on February 07, 2013, 06:28:42 PM
I didn't take the test because she died about 10 years ago and that made me kinda sad.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Admiral Yi on February 07, 2013, 06:51:41 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 05:22:48 PM
Yeah, but I can be both of those at the same time. :smoke:

:P

So can a word Out House my lad.  "Pride" is five letters joined together that has varies significations in the English language.  It is a part of speech.  It is an abstraction.  It is not that particular pride of lion's sitting right over there eating eland at the moment.

So just like you, this five letter grouping can be many things at the same time.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: mongers on February 07, 2013, 06:57:38 PM
I had a 1970s British 'Comprehensive' education, I don't need to take the test do I ?  :bowler:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Syt on February 08, 2013, 12:07:34 AM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:36:00 PM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:15:41 AM
"Truth" is an abstract and collective noun?  :hmm:  I said just abstract.  Haven't thought of that abstract/concrete noun crap in a very long time -- they are really more philosophical questions than grammar ones.  If such a differance can be claimed.  :frog:  :homestar:

No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

That's stupid.  It either means one thing ("regard for someone, something, or an accomplishment, ordinarily reflecting upon oneself"), and is abstract, or it means the other ("buncha lions"), and is collective.  It can't be both at the same time.

It's called a Homonym (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym) :smarty:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Josquius on February 08, 2013, 12:24:34 AM
My use of grammar when I try is pretty good. My grasp of the terminology however....

I got 11. Easier than I thought. A lot of the terminology is rather logical given its name.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Maladict on February 08, 2013, 02:59:09 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:38:20 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

:lol:  Oh, right.  Sneaky.

Yeah, pride got the better of me as well. 13/14  :(
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Eddie Teach on February 08, 2013, 03:31:58 AM
Quote from: Capetan Mihali on February 07, 2013, 11:38:20 AM
Quote from: garbon on February 07, 2013, 11:27:10 AM
No, on that one it was pride that is abstract and collective because of the two different meanings.

:lol:  Oh, right.  Sneaky.

The picture of a polar bear right underneath got my mind on the right track. Otherwise, I might have missed it.


14/14  :showoff:
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: jimmy olsen on February 09, 2013, 12:45:49 AM
Quote from: viper37 on February 07, 2013, 11:07:52 AM
11/14.  I'm in Tim's corner :P
Same score!

Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Maximus on February 10, 2013, 12:08:44 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:32:26 PM
You mean "pride"?  That's one of the two I got wrong.  I'll cop to being wrong on the prepositional phrase one, but "pride" is not a fucking (gerund :) ) collective noun.
That's not a gerund, that's an adjective. Your misunderstanding of what a gerund is is a gerund.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Zanza on February 10, 2013, 12:24:18 PM
14/14. English grammar seems to be less complex than German or French grammar.
Title: Re: So, how good is your grammar?
Post by: Ideologue on February 10, 2013, 12:41:26 PM
Quote from: Maximus on February 10, 2013, 12:08:44 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on February 07, 2013, 04:32:26 PM
You mean "pride"?  That's one of the two I got wrong.  I'll cop to being wrong on the prepositional phrase one, but "pride" is not a fucking (gerund :) ) collective noun.
That's not a gerund, that's an adjective. Your misunderstanding of what a gerund is is a gerund.

Cross I'll have to bear I guess.