Friday, November 22, 2019
A Lesson in Spelling Definite
A Lesson in Spelling Definite  A Lesson in Spelling Definite  A Lesson in Spelling Definite                                      By Maeve Maddox                                            	  Next to the possessive adjective its, the word definite is possibly the most misspelled word in English. If I had a nickel for every time Ive circled the misspelling definate in a students paper, Id have enough money to buy a house.  Perhaps one way to impress the correct spelling of definite on the mind would be to consider the family of words to which it belongs.  finite: having bounds, ends, or limits  infinite: having no limit or end   infinity: the quality or attribute of being infinite or having no limit  define: to settle the limits of  And, of course, theres  definite: Having fixed or exact limits  Look at all the i words in these definitions;  Something that is infinite has no limits. Something that is finite has limits. To define is to limit. Something that is definite is limited.   There! Go forth and spell definite with two is.   For babies and children, whose nutritional needs are extraordinary, the risks are definite and scary.  The breast milk of vegetarian and vegan mothers is dramatically lower in a critical brain fat, DHA  (www.nytimes.com)   one of the more useful words in the English language, but according to research by a linguistics professor, use of the definite article ââ¬Å"theâ⬠ has declined ââ¬Å"radicallyâ⬠ over the last century. (www.theguardian.com)   of state for public health, committee chairman Neil Parish wrote: ââ¬Å"We are disappointed with the lack of definite action taken by the FSA [Food Standards Agency] and wider government to date. We trust that the further response  (www.theguardian.com)                                          Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily!                Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Does [sic] Mean?How to Play HQ  Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksFew vs. Several    
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