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	<title>MrGray.id.au &#187; English</title>
	<atom:link href="http://mrgray.id.au/category/english/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://mrgray.id.au</link>
	<description>Mr Gray&#039;s teaching related blog: news, resources and ideas for teachers</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:22:26 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
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		<title>English is Crazy</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2012/01/english-is-crazy/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2012/01/english-is-crazy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:54:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Dictionary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spelling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dictionary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homonyms]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homophones]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=1020</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[1) The bandage was wound around the wound. 2) The farm was used to produce produce. 3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. 4) We must polish the Polish furniture. 5) He could lead if he would get the lead out. 6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert. 7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present. A bass was [...]]]></description>
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<p>1) The bandage was <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">wound </span></strong>around the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">wound.</span></strong></p>
<p>2) The farm was used to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">produce produce</span></strong>.</p>
<p>3) The dump was so full that it had to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">refuse </span></strong>more <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">refuse</span></strong>.</p>
<p>4) We must <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">polish </span></strong>the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Polish </span></strong>furnitu<wbr>re.</p>
<p>5) He could <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">lead </span></strong>if he would get the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">lead </span></strong>out.</p>
<p>6) The soldier decided to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">desert </span></strong>his dessert in the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">desert.</span></strong></p>
<p>7) Since there is no time like the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">present</span></strong>, he thought it was time to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">present </span></strong>the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">present</span>.</strong></p>
<p> <img src='http://mrgray.id.au/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif' alt='8)' class='wp-smiley' /> A <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">bass </span></strong>was painted on the head of the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">bass </span></strong>drum.</p>
<p>9) When shot at, the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">dove dove </span></strong>into the bushes.</p>
<p>10) I did not <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">object </span></strong>to the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">object.</span></strong></p>
<p>11) The insurance was <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">invalid </span></strong>for the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">invalid.</span></strong></p>
<p>12) There was a <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">row </span></strong>among the oarsmen about how to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">row</span></strong>.</p>
<p>13) They were too <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">close </span></strong>to the door to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">close </span></strong>it.</p>
<p>14) The buck <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">does </span></strong>funny things when the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">does </span></strong>are present.</p>
<p>15) A seamstress and a <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sewer </span></strong>fell down into a <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sewer </span></strong>line.</p>
<p>16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sow </span></strong>to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sow.</span></strong></p>
<p>17) The <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">wind </span></strong>was too strong to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">wind </span></strong>the sail.</p>
<p>18) Upon seeing the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">tear </span></strong>in the painting I shed a <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">tear..</span></strong></p>
<p>19) I had to <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">subject </span></strong>the <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">subject </span></strong>to a series of tests.</p>
<p>20) How can I <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">intimate </span></strong>this to my most <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">intimate </span></strong>friend?</wbr></p>
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<p>Let&#8217;s face it &#8211; English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren&#8217;t invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren&#8217;t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig..</p>
<p>And why is it that writers write but fingers don&#8217;t fing, grocers don&#8217;t groce and hammers don&#8217;t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn&#8217;t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn&#8217;t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?</p>
<p>If teachers taught, why didn&#8217;t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?</p>
<p>How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.</p>
<p>English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.</p>
<p>PS. &#8211; Why doesn&#8217;t &#8216;Buick&#8217; rhyme with &#8216;quick&#8217; ?<br />
<strong></p>
<p>You lovers of the English language might enjoy this ..</p>
<p>There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">&#8216;UP.&#8217;</span><strong><br />
</strong><strong><br />
It&#8217;s easy to understand </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>?</p>
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<p>At a meeting, why does a topic come <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>?</p>
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<p>Why do we speak <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>and why are the officers <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>for election and why is it <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>to the secretary to write <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>a report?<br />
We call <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>our friends.</p>
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<p>And we use it to brighten <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>a room, polish <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>the silver; we warm <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>the leftovers and clean <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>the kitchen.</p>
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<p>We lock <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>the house and some guys fix <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>the old car.</p>
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<p>At other times the little word has real special meaning.</p>
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<p>People stir <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>trouble, line <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>for tickets, work <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>an appetite, and think UP excuses.</p>
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<p>To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.</p>
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<p>A drain must be opened <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>because it is stopped UP.</p>
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<p>We open <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>a store in the morning but we close it <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>at night.<strong></p>
<p>We seem to be pretty mixed </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span><strong>about </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>!</p>
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<p>To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>, look the word <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>in the dictionary.</p>
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<p>In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>almost 1/4th of the page and can add <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>to about thirty definitions.</p>
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<p>If you are <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>to it, you might try building <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>a list of the many ways<span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>is used.</p>
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<p>It will take <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>a lot of your time, but if you don&#8217;t give <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>, you may wind <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>with a hundred or more.</p>
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<p>When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>.</p>
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<p>When the sun comes out we say it is clearing<span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>.<strong><br />
When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>.<strong><br />
When it doesn&#8217;t rain for awhile, things dry </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>.<strong></p>
<p>One could go on and on, but I&#8217;ll wrap it </strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>,</p>
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<p>for now my time is <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>,</p>
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<p>so&#8230;&#8230;..it is time to shut <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>!</p>
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<p>Now it&#8217;s <span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP </span>to you what you do with this email.</p>
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			<wfw:commentRss>http://mrgray.id.au/2012/01/english-is-crazy/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>An Update for Enid Blyton Books</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/07/update-enid-blyton-books/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/07/update-enid-blyton-books/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:30:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[News Reports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Enid Blyton]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=844</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Oh, no, this is a worry. A recent report that Enid Blyton books are to be re-written to bring them into line with modern day language usage is a shame. I enjoy reading these stories to not only my classes, but also my own children &#8211; it gives us chances to talk about the language [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Oh, no, this is a worry. A <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/26/2964088.htm" target="_blank">recent report that Enid Blyton books are to be re-written</a> to bring them into line with modern day language usage is a shame. I enjoy reading these stories to not only my classes, but also my own children &#8211; it gives us chances to talk about the language and the words used, as well as being just plain fun!!</p>
<p>What do you think of the idea?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mystical-tree.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-851 aligncenter" title="mystical-tree" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/mystical-tree-640x426.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="341" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em>Image Source:</em> <a href="http://www.kevingrimm.com/myblog/2009/01/18/the-magic-tree/" target="_blank">Kevin Grimm</a></p>
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		<title>Gotta Keep Reading</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/07/gotta-reading/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/07/gotta-reading/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Jul 2010 08:24:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music Video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=829</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This video was created by Ocoee Middle School in the United States (Florida) last December to promote reading. Set to the Black Eyed Peas song I Got A Feeling. Lyrics: Gotta Keep Reading Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This video was created by Ocoee Middle School in the United States (Florida) last December to promote reading. Set to the Black Eyed Peas song I Got A Feeling.<br />
<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="640" height="385" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GNpNfhpqDk4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="385" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GNpNfhpqDk4&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1?color1=0x006699&amp;color2=0x54abd6" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p><strong>Lyrics:</strong></p>
<p>Gotta Keep Reading<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good<br />
book to read<br />
Ooo hoo<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good<br />
book to read<br />
Pick up that book<br />
And turn the page<br />
You&#8217;ll never know<br />
Just what you&#8217;ll find<br />
Information<br />
Or Fantasy<br />
Drama and Art<br />
All make you smart!<br />
I know that you&#8217;ll have a ball<br />
If you turn off the TV and just read them all<br />
Just think, with a book you&#8217;ll be so entertained<br />
OMS has the best readers in F.L.A<br />
Fill up my mind<br />
With non fiction<br />
Let&#8217;s get the facts<br />
And use them up<br />
Collaborate<br />
Graduate<br />
Feed your brain<br />
And then we&#8217;ll just keep on reading<br />
And reading and reading and reading and reading<br />
And reading and reading<br />
Let&#8217;s read it some more<br />
Reading and reading and reading, reading, reading<br />
Keep reading and reading and reading<br />
Gotta Keep Reading<br />
Ooo hoo<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good book to read<br />
Ooo hoo<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good book to read<br />
I got my book!<br />
Do you have yours?<br />
What is the title?<br />
And who&#8217;s it by?<br />
Where is it set?<br />
Maybe in Spain?<br />
Is it fiction?<br />
Or is it real?<br />
Will it be happy?<br />
Or maybe sad?<br />
Let&#8217;s see what happens<br />
By reading on<br />
Open that book<br />
And have a look<br />
It&#8217;s an adventure<br />
So keep on reading that book<br />
********************************</p>
<p>Keep reading and reading and reading and reading<br />
And reading and reading<br />
Let&#8217;s read it some more<br />
Read it and read it and read it, read it, read it<br />
And read it and read it and read it, read it, read it, read it<br />
Here we come, here we go we gotta read<br />
(read, read, read)<br />
Easy come, easy go, now we can&#8217;t stop<br />
Fill that shelf with those books<br />
Way to the top<br />
Round and round<br />
Read those books<br />
Around the clock<br />
Action, Sci-Fi, Humor, Adventure<br />
Biography, Reality, Mystery and Fantasy<br />
Read, read, read, read, read it up<br />
What ever you like<br />
Read those Sunshine States<br />
Take those Reading Counts<br />
Gotta Keep Reading<br />
Ooo hooo<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good book to read<br />
Ooo hoo<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good book<br />
Cause this book&#8217;s gonna be a good good book!<br />
Ohh hoo..</p>
<p><em>Source:</em> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNpNfhpqDk4" target="_blank">Youtube</a>, <a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/OcoeeMiddleSchool-GottaKeepReading.flv" target="_blank">Flash Version</a>, <a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/OcoeeMiddleSchool-GottaKeepReading.mp4" target="_blank">MP4 Version</a></p>
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		<title>My Grandparents</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/02/my-grandparents/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2010/02/my-grandparents/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:34:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spelling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Student Work]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=573</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I smiled when I marked the spelling sheet today&#8230; the things kids write. My nan is a crazy driver and my nan likes sleeping and chocolate and my pop is a slow driver. My nan goes to the pub all the time.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I smiled when I marked the spelling sheet today&#8230; the things kids write.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/my-grandparents.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-574   aligncenter" title="my-grandparents" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/my-grandparents-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
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<p style="text-align: left;">My nan is a crazy driver and my nan likes sleeping and chocolate and my pop is a slow driver. My nan goes to the pub all the time.</p>
</blockquote>
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		<title>Happy Limerick Day</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2009/05/happy-limerick-day/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2009/05/happy-limerick-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 12:09:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ES1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stages of Learning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Day of ...]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[limerick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poetry]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=228</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Today is Limerick Day. It celebrates the birthday of Edward Lear (1812 &#8211; 1888). Lear made limericks popular in his 1846 publication &#8220;A Book of Nonsense&#8221; What is a limerick? A limerick is a five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. A couplet is a two-line rhymed poem and a triplet is a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today is Limerick Day. It celebrates the birthday of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lear" target="_blank">Edward Lear (1812 &#8211; 1888)</a>. <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/l#a498" target="_blank">Lear</a> made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_(poetry)" target="_blank">limericks</a> popular in his 1846 publication &#8220;<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/13646" target="_blank">A Book of Nonsense</a>&#8221;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/a-book-of-nonsense.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-492 aligncenter" title="a-book-of-nonsense" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/a-book-of-nonsense-640x415.jpg" alt="a-book-of-nonsense" width="314" height="204" /></a></p>
<p><strong>What is a limerick?</strong></p>
<p>A limerick is a five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet.</p>
<p>A couplet is a two-line rhymed poem and a triplet is a three-line.</p>
<p><strong>What are the typical characteristics of Limericks?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Limericks are a funny and nonsense poem.</li>
<li>They have five lines.</li>
<li>They have a rhyme scheme of A, A, B, B, A (lines 1, 2 and 5 rhyme; lines 3 and 4 rhyme).</li>
<li>The syllabification is 8, 8, 5, 5, 8.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Did you know?</strong> Limerick is also a large city in Ireland.</p>
<blockquote><p><strong><span style="font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma;"><span style="font-size: small;">What a limerick is in a crunch<br />
Is a bit like a loony’s light lunch<br />
Though it briefly delights<br />
It’s just four nutty bites<br />
Swallowed down with a ludicrous punch</span></span></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,verdana,helvetica,tahoma;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>By Graham Lester</em><br />
</span></span></p></blockquote>
<p>Other Links:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/english/limerick.htm" target="_blank">Teaching Ideas</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass/limerickcontesthelp.html" target="_blank">How to write a Limerick</a> by Bruce Lansky</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear/learwk.html" target="_blank">Edward Lear&#8217;s Nonsense Work</a></li>
<li><a href="http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/limerick.htm" target="_blank">Write an instant limerick</a> (online form)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.freewebs.com/grahamlester/kids.htm" target="_blank">A collection of limericks for kids</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/limerick.php" target="_blank">Teacher Planet Limerick Day Theme Page</a></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><em>Do you have a favourite Limerick? Share it with us in the comments below.</em></span></p>
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		<title>What&#8217;s another word for Synonym?</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2009/04/whats-another-word-for-synonym/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2009/04/whats-another-word-for-synonym/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 25 Apr 2009 13:40:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ES1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reading]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Spelling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grammar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[synonym]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=218</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Can you think of one?? I haven&#8217;t been able to. Even a search at Synonym.com brought back the result: Sorry, I could not find synonyms for &#8216;synonym&#8217; I found some websites that deal with Synonyms though: Teacher&#8217;s Clubhouse &#8211; Grammar Skills A lesson on synonyms for Kindergarten EdHelper worksheets on Synonyms I did also find [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/a_synonym_tshirt.jpg"><img class="alignright" style="float: right;" title="a_synonym_tshirt" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/a_synonym_tshirt-150x150.jpg" alt="a_synonym_tshirt" width="150" height="150" /></a>Can you think of one?? I haven&#8217;t been able to. Even a search at <a href="http://www.synonym.com" target="_blank">Synonym.com</a> brought back the result:</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: center;">Sorry, I could not find synonyms for &#8216;synonym&#8217;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I found some websites that deal with Synonyms though:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.teachersclubhouse.com/grammarskills.htm" target="_blank">Teacher&#8217;s Clubhouse &#8211; Grammar Skills</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/m/synonyml.cfm" target="_blank">A lesson on synonyms for Kindergarten</a></li>
<li><a href="http://edhelper.com/synonyms.htm" target="_blank">EdHelper worksheets on Synonyms</a></li>
</ul>
<p>I did also find the humourous t-shirts too, if you&#8217;re that way inclined. They&#8217;re available over at <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/a_synonym_tshirt-235775402261124180" target="_blank">Zazzle.com</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/synonym_roll_tshirt.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-487 aligncenter" title="synonym_roll_tshirt" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/synonym_roll_tshirt-150x150.jpg" alt="synonym_roll_tshirt" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
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		<title>Weather Chart Icons</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2008/10/weather-chart-icons/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2008/10/weather-chart-icons/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:23:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Classroom Resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ES1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interactive White Board]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[S1]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Talking & Listening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Morning Circle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Weather]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=169</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I came across these Free Weather Icons the other day &#8211; could be good for use on a weather chart, or maybe even an IWB version?? I might even try to come up with something like that a little later on.     Let me know if you&#8217;ve seen a good IWB chart for recording daily [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I came across these <a href="http://www.webdesign-guru.co.uk/icon/free-weather-icons/" target="_blank">Free Weather Icons</a> the other day &#8211; could be good for use on a weather chart, or maybe even an IWB version?? I might even try to come up with something like that a little later on.   <img src='http://mrgray.id.au/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=':wink:' class='wp-smiley' />    Let me know if you&#8217;ve seen a good IWB chart for recording daily weather&#8230;maybe we could incorporate these icons into it?? Thanks again to the <a href="http://www.webdesign-guru.co.uk/" target="_blank">Web Design Guru</a> for these free icons.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.webdesign-guru.co.uk/icon/free-weather-icons/"><img class="size-full wp-image-448 aligncenter" title="weather-icons" src="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/weather-icons.png" alt="weather-icons" width="360" height="270" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">I also found <a href="http://mrgray.id.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/Free_Icons_Weather.zip">these icons</a> over at <a href="http://www.serradinho.com/Blog/downloads/image-downloads" target="_blank">Serradinho.com</a>.</p>
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		<title>You think English is easy?</title>
		<link>http://mrgray.id.au/2008/09/you-think-english-is-easy/</link>
		<comments>http://mrgray.id.au/2008/09/you-think-english-is-easy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:35:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mr Gray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[English]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Humour]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Grammar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homographs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homophones]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://mrgray.id.au/?p=165</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was sent this via email today, it does make you wonder&#8230; The bandage was wound around the wound. The farm was used to produce produce. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. We must polish the Polish furniture. He could lead if he would get the lead out. The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I was sent this via email today, it does make you wonder&#8230;</p>
<ol>
<li>The bandage was <span style="color: #ff6600;">wound</span> around the <span style="color: #ff6600;">wound</span>.</li>
<li>The farm was used to <span style="color: #ff6600;">produce produce</span>.</li>
<li>The dump was so full that it had to <span style="color: #ff6600;">refuse</span> more <span style="color: #ff6600;">refuse</span>.</li>
<li>We must <span style="color: #ff6600;">polish</span> the <span style="color: #ff6600;">Polish</span> furniture.</li>
<li>He could <span style="color: #ff6600;">lead</span> if he would get the <span style="color: #ff6600;">lead</span> out.</li>
<li>The soldier decided to <span style="color: #ff6600;">desert</span> his <span style="color: #ff6600;">dessert</span> in the <span style="color: #ff6600;">desert</span>.</li>
<li>Since there is no time like the <span style="color: #ff6600;">present</span>, he thought it was time to <span style="color: #ff6600;">present</span> the <span style="color: #ff6600;">present</span>.</li>
<li>A <span style="color: #ff6600;">bass</span> was painted on the head of the <span style="color: #ff6600;">bass</span> drum.</li>
<li>When shot at, the <span style="color: #ff6600;">dove</span> <span style="color: #ff6600;">dove</span> into the bushes.</li>
<li>I did not <span style="color: #ff6600;">object</span> to the <span style="color: #ff6600;">object</span>.</li>
<li>The insurance was <span style="color: #ff6600;">invalid</span> for the <span style="color: #ff6600;">invalid</span>.</li>
<li>There was a <span style="color: #ff6600;">row</span> among the oarsmen about how to <span style="color: #ff6600;">row</span>.</li>
<li>They were too <span style="color: #ff6600;">close</span> to the door to <span style="color: #ff6600;">close</span> it.</li>
<li>The buck <span style="color: #ff6600;">does</span> funny things when the <span style="color: #ff6600;">does</span> are present.</li>
<li>A seamstress and a <span style="color: #ff6600;">sewer</span> fell down into a <span style="color: #ff6600;">sewer</span> line.</li>
<li>To help with planting, the farmer taught his <span style="color: #ff6600;">sow</span> to <span style="color: #ff6600;">sow</span>.</li>
<li>The <span style="color: #ff6600;">wind</span> was too strong to <span style="color: #ff6600;">wind</span> the sail.</li>
<li>Upon seeing the <span style="color: #ff6600;">tear</span> in the painting, I shed a <span style="color: #ff6600;">tear</span>.</li>
<li>I had to <span style="color: #ff6600;">subject</span> the <span style="color: #ff6600;">subject</span> to a series of tests.</li>
<li>How can I <span style="color: #ff6600;">intimate</span> this to my most <span style="color: #ff6600;">intimate</span> friend?</li>
</ol>
<p>Let&#8217;s face it &#8211; English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren&#8217;t invented in<span> England</span> or French fries in <span>France</span>. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren&#8217;t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from <span>Guinea</span> nor is it a pig.  And why is it that writers write but fingers don&#8217;t fing, grocers don&#8217;t groce and hammers don&#8217;t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn&#8217;t the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn&#8217;t it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?  If teachers taught, why didn&#8217;t preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?  Why do we park on a driveway, but drive on a parkway?  How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.  English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.  PS. &#8211; Why doesn&#8217;t &#8216;Buick&#8217; rhyme with &#8216;quick&#8217;. and why doesn&#8217;t &#8216;dough&#8217; rhyme with &#8216;tough&#8217;?  You lovers of the English language might enjoy this.  There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>.  It&#8217;s easy to understand <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>? At a meeting, why does a topic come <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>? Why do we speak <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> and why are the officers <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> for election and why is it <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> to the secretary to write <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> a report?  We call <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> our friends. And we use it to brighten <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> a room, polish <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> the silver, we warm <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> the leftovers and clean <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> the kitchen. We lock <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> the house and some guys fix <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> the old car.  At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> trouble, line <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> for tickets, work <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> an appetite, and think <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> is special.  And this <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> is confusing: A drain must be opened <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> because it is stopped <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>. We open <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> a store in the morning but we close it <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> at night.  We seem to be pretty mixed <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> about <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> look the word <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> almost a quarter of the page and can add <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> to about thirty definitions. If you are <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> to it, you might try building <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> a list of the many ways <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> is used. It will take <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> a lot of your time, but if you don&#8217;t give <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> you may wind <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span> with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>.  When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>.  When it doesn&#8217;t rain for awhile, things dry <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>.  One could go on and on, but I&#8217;ll wrap it <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>, for now my time is <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>, so&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230; it is time to shut <span style="color: #ff0000; font-size: large;">UP</span>&#8230;!  <em>If you&#8217;ve got any more examples of English quirkiness, leave them in the comments&#8230;.</em></p>
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