Let’s continue our laid-back August tempo with another brief quiz you just might ace. Make your picks.
1. Now that I have pored/poured over the materials you sent me, I feel more confident about my interview next week.
2. The idea of Lauren mentoring Phil is moot/mute now that she’s been transferred to sales.
3. I can’t say we are all together/altogether pleased about losing Lauren to the sales team.
4. Your selection of Todd to head the project shows me you are trusting/trustworthy.
The answers
1. Reading or studying intently has nothing to do with pouring. When we do that, we pore.
2. The verb mute means to silence, and the adjective mute means silent. But if something is no longer relevant (or it’s debatable), it’s moot.
3. This one’s a close call. All together conveys unity. (“We are all together on meeting at noon.”) But when we mean “wholly” or “in total,” we want the word altogether. (“That is an altogether different matter.”)
4. If Al trusts Zelda, he finds her worthy of his trust (trustworthy). At the same time, we can infer that Al is a trusting fellow.
In addition to presenting workshops on writing in the workplace, Norm Friedman is a writer, editor, and writing coach. His 100+ Instant Writing Tips is a brief “non-textbook” to help individuals overcome common writing errors and write with more finesse and impact. Learn more at http://www.normfriedman.com/index.shtml.