Introduction
In business as in life, little things can make a big difference, as this story about Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo (1475-1564) shows.
MICHAEL Angelo was one day explaining to a visitor at his studio, what he had been doing at a statue since his previous visit.
“I have retouched this part, — polished that, — softened this feature, — brought out that muscle,— given some expression to this lip, and more energy to that limb.”
“But these are trifles,” remarked the visitor.
“It may be so,” replied the sculptor, “but recollect that trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.”
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Given. Since. Visit.
2 Do. Muscle. Statue.
3 Polish. Remark. Sculptor.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Confusables Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that are similar to one another, but not exactly the same. Compose your own sentences to bring out the similarities and differences between them, whether in meaning, grammar or use.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Homophones Find in Think and Speak
In each group below, you will find words that sound the same, but differ in spelling and also in meaning. Compose your own sentences to bring out the differences between them.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
scrd (5+1)
sacred. scared. scored. scoured. secured.
screed.
If you like what I’m doing here on Clay Lane, from time to time you could buy me a coffee.
Buy Me a Coffee is a crowdfunding website, used by over a million people. It is designed to help content creators like me make a living from their work. ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ prides itself on its security, and there is no need to register.
