Something for the Grammar Nazis

Guardian grammar quiz.

Managed 12 out of 14, with some educated guesswork.

Can someone explain the answer to number 8, and also what a "gerund" is?

no 8 - unless you know what abstract and collective mean, you're pretty bolloxed!

I got 14 (do we have a smug emoticon?)

Pride is abstract, as in a sense of pride. And collective, as in a pride of lions.

A gerund is a verb in the participle form (-ing) but operating as a noun. As in, what do you think of my running? (I think that's right, someone smarter or more pedantic will be along shortly).

Yoohoo, Wilkie, over here sweetie

Muttley wrote (see)

Pride is abstract, as in a sense of pride. And collective, as in a pride of lions.

Facepalm.

I forgot sometimes words have two meanings.

Tom77 wrote (see)

Muttley wrote (see)

Pride is abstract, as in a sense of pride. And collective, as in a pride of lions.

Facepalm.

I forgot sometimes words have two meanings.

that would make you a bit pissed - or maybe pissed.... 

The answer to number 8 is because "Pride" can be both a collective noun (as in a pride of lions), or an abstract noun (as in pride before a fall).

I had to have 'gerund' explained to me. Apparently it's a noun that can be used as a verb e.g. Teacher becomes Teaching.

Oops... cross post with all of the above.

Which is pretty much what I said, innit?

some people are just too slow these days eh Mutts??

There were only 2 posts when I strated typing

JF gets a good gerundive spanking for not paying attention

Muttley wrote (see)

 

Pride is abstract, as in a sense of pride. And collective, as in a pride of lions.

 

D'oh!  12, because I was only considering a single meaning of pride (as in take pride) and trying to work out whether it was both abstract and collective, and because I didn't know what a gerund was until I Googled it just now.

Arse!

13 - I wasn't sure about the gerund either.

And to be pedantic....  is the first question really about grammar?  Is it not just understanding of what a word means?

Wilkie, I declare you a second-degree grammar nazi, taking a grammar quiz to task!  (Can you imagine how many times they checked this article before it went to print?!)

In the first question you have to identify the word that is in the role of antonym, so yes I would argue that it is a grammar question.

I suppose, I'd overlooked the fact that you do have to know what an antonym is!

Stray comma there, Wilkie

The 'I suppose' was saying that I agreed with you (I suppose you are right), the rest of the sentence was why I agreed with you.

13 out of 14. Fuck you, Lynne Truss.