Same verb, different meaning: take off

A multi-word verb is a verb that has more than one word. We usually think of them as a main verb followed by one or two particles. The particle could be an adverb or a preposition. I never messed around at school, I was a good student. (to mess around = to behave badly) Multi-word… Read More

Confusing words: Envy and Jealousy

“Jealousy is when you worry someone will take what you have. Envy is wanting what somenone else has.” – Homer Simpson It’s no fun to feel envy or jealousy because both make you feel inadequate. Envy is when you want what someone else has, but jealousy is when you’re worried someone’s trying to take what you have. If you want your neighbor’s new… Read More

What’s in a Pun?

The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic, homographic, metonymic, or metaphorical language. A pun differs from a… Read More

Sit ups, running, push ups or sex. Hmmmmm…

How much does it take to burn off your favorite foods? Now of course there are many different factors that should be taken into account for each individual (height, weight, age, intensity), and it’s extremely hard to accurately calculate the exact amount needed to burn a specific amount of calories, but these numbers should average… Read More