Here are the correct spellings for yesterday's quiz words:
Two words in red
Hyphenated in green
task force
oversized
time frame
online
earpiece
sleazebag
mix-up
callback
rear view
book cover
spell-check
download
snowdrift
sock yarn
I use two online sources to check spellings and etymology of words: Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster. In hand, Webster's Unabridged and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. To make the game more interesting and challenging, you'll often notice different answers from various sources, so I like to find 2-3 dictionaries with the same results.
What are your favorite dictionaries? On your desk? Online? What about the dictionary in your word processing program? Do you tweak that to suit your writing? Leave us a comment. Can a writer ever have enough dictionaries?
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Dani Greer runs the Blog Book Tours yahoogroup which teaches authors how to promote their books with a virtual tour. Next class starts May 1. She is a founding member of The Blood Red Pencil. This time of year, she can usually be found in her two-acre garden trying to whip the grow-y stuff into some form of visual interest if not beauty. Occasionally, she may edit.
Two words in red
Hyphenated in green
task force
oversized
time frame
online
earpiece
sleazebag
mix-up
callback
rear view
book cover
spell-check
download
snowdrift
sock yarn
I use two online sources to check spellings and etymology of words: Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster. In hand, Webster's Unabridged and the Concise Oxford English Dictionary. To make the game more interesting and challenging, you'll often notice different answers from various sources, so I like to find 2-3 dictionaries with the same results.
What are your favorite dictionaries? On your desk? Online? What about the dictionary in your word processing program? Do you tweak that to suit your writing? Leave us a comment. Can a writer ever have enough dictionaries?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dani Greer runs the Blog Book Tours yahoogroup which teaches authors how to promote their books with a virtual tour. Next class starts May 1. She is a founding member of The Blood Red Pencil. This time of year, she can usually be found in her two-acre garden trying to whip the grow-y stuff into some form of visual interest if not beauty. Occasionally, she may edit.
Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary sits near my desk and gets plenty of use. When I don't like what that book has to tell me, I try google. I also have a great software program called stylewriter.
ReplyDeleteI have the Random House unabridged, too, from my days as a rep. The duct tape on the binding is particularly attractive. Snort!
ReplyDeleteChar, tell us about Stylewriter sometime soon.
Dani
I have the American Heritage Illustrated Dictionary. I can hardly lift it anymore. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut, I have started using the online dictionaries more and more. Less back strain.
I use the online dictionaries quite a bit. I can compare results in several in a flash.
ReplyDeleteSweet I got them right. :D
ReplyDeleteI am a sucker for dictionary.com. I do have a mini Webster dictionary, but unless I'm playing scrabble, I rarely use it.
I hate the dictionary on my word processor, it is very limited. It drives me crazy because it makes me second guess my spelling. (second-guess?) hehe
Really, I think the Word dictionary could be completely re-done. Who was it that told me the word "blog" isn't even in the standard version. It also seems full of errors. Am I the only one who feels this way?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Meg. We should have had a prize! Maybe my Duct Tape Dictionary? I can't give him up, though. I mean, he even has a name.
Dani