Prove by examples that the verb ‘strike’ can be used to express all of these ideas. Try to make the meaning as unmistakable as you can. For example:

1 Hit something or someone.

2 Find a deposit of some mineral.

3 Begin playing music.

4 Make a new friend.

5 Suddenly get an idea.

6 Embark on a challenging journey, or a new and independent endeavour.

7 Interrupt a conversation.

8 Erase a name or a record.

Consider this sentence:

He was surprised by the news.

Just how surprised was he? Extremely, quite, more than a little, slightly, scarcely even, or simply not? Or was he sufficiently surprised to be astonished, or maybe flabbergasted?

Try it with these other sentences:

1 He was frightened by the film.

2 He was responsible for the defeat.

3 The car was damaged in the accident.

4 He was ashamed of what he had done.

5 He could remember what happened.

6 He was puzzled by what he had heard.

7 He was sure they would agree.

8 He was satisfied with the result.

Some possible words and phrases can be seen by clicking this button.

Suggested Words and Phrases

Opposites

This is adapted from an idea in NL Clay’s Exercises 12-13 (1933).

Attach appropriate negative prefixes to these words, e.g. grateful → ungrateful. There may be more than one answer for some words.

1 Adequate. Approve. Attentive. Balanced. Credible. Discreet. Dress. Fasten.

2 Formal. Inter. Involved. Man. Moderate. Obedient. Partial. Pious.

3 Please. Probable. Qualify. Respect. Satisfied. Secure. Suitable. Sure. Valid.

Suggested Answers (A-Z)

The first of these was given to students in Clay’s Exercises 12-13 (1933); the others are mine. Choose one of the following and describe it, introducing people and action.

1 A waiting room.

2 A lift.

3 A cricket pavilion.

4 A shop at an airport.

5 A stables.

Try to make sure your scene helps the reader to answer six questions: What? Who? Where? When (e.g. in the day, or in history)? How? Why? But remember: Show, don’t tell!

Rewrite these sentences to eliminate the word ‘and’. There may be several ways of doing this. For example:

I scrambled to my feet and looked around.

1 I asked for a night’s lodging and she said I was welcome to the bed in the loft.

2 I fitted my key into the door and just then I noticed a man and he was at my elbow.

3 I walked into the room and there was an old man and he was at the head of the table and he rose.

These sentences are based on sentences in the novels of John Buchan.

Proverbial Wisdom

From Think and Speak

Explain these proverbial remarks by Alexander Pope (1688-1744) to someone who has not understood them.

1 What Reason weaves, by Passion is undone.

2 Damn with faint praise.

3 For forms of Government let fools contest —
Whate’er is best administered is best.