Editor's Corner

Good morning! It’s time for another vocabulary quiz. This quiz covers five pairs of commonly confused words and is brought to you by Daily Writing Tips. Pick the word you think fits best in each sentence, and then scroll down to see the correct answers. Remember, no prizes are involved unless you count that amazing feeling of pride you experience when you get them all (or most of them) right. Good luck, my fellow language lovers.

1. The roll-top desk was made by an exceptionally skilled ________.

a) artist

b) artisan

2. Drink, drank, (have) drunk are the ________ parts of the verb “to drink.”

a) principal

b) principle

3. Pliny the _______ died in the eruption of Vesuvius. [dbb – This is a give-away for many of you craft beer fans]

a) older

b) Elder

4. Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a _______.

a) dual

b) duel

5. I saw the detective ________ his fists, but he refrained from striking the suspect.

a) clinch

b) clench

Answers and Explanations

1. The roll-top desk was made by an exceptionally skilled artisan.

b) artisan

An artisan is a worker in a skilled trade. An artist practices a creative art such as painting, sculpting, or writing.

2. Drink, drank, (have) drunk are the principal parts of the verb “to drink.”

a) principal

As an adjective, principal means “first in order of importance.” Principle is a noun that means “a fundamental truth,” or “a rule or a belief that governs one’s behavior.”

3. Pliny the Elder died in the eruption of Vesuvius.

b) Elder

As an adjective, elder is sometimes interchangeable with older, as in “Jane is Sally’s elder sister.” Capitalized, Elder is used to distinguish between two family members of different generations, as in Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.

4. Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

b) duel

Used historically, a duel is a ritualized killing contest between two men armed with deadly weapons. Dual is an adjective meaning “consisting of two parts.”

5. I saw the detective clench his fists, but he refrained from striking the suspect.

b) clench

When speaking of ones’ fingers, clench means to make a fist. One can also clench other body parts. To clench one’s teeth is to press them closely together. Clinch means to embrace or grapple at close quarters.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Documentation Services

NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended
exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message,
together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information.
Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution
is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please
immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies.