Words, Words, Words

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Words, Words, Words

This page provides extracts from authentic, unconsciously humorous answers to school exam questions and essays, gathered from a compilation by Viking Press published under the pseudonym of Alexander Abingdon in 1952. The selected extracts, edited and rearranged, are reproduced for readers in countries where the book is in the public domain, which, to the best of our knowledge, includes Australia (because more than 50 years have passed since the book's publication and because the so-called anonymous rule applies). For other countries, please check your local copyright laws.

Alliteration is making all the words in a poem begin with the same letter, such as "Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen"

A collective noun is a noun that covers everything, such as clothing, umbrella, bandstand, etc

One common figure of speech is the facsimile

Q. Give an example of the Imperative Mood. A. Come up and see me some time!

Q. What is an inverted sentence? A. One that makes sense either way.

A pathetic fallacy is the mistake an author makes when he writes a poem

Q. Correct "The toast was drank in silence". A. "The toast was eat in silence".

Q. Correct "The bull and cow is in the field". A. "The cow and the bull is in the field". Ladies come first.

The four characteristics of newspaper style are: 1. Tell everything straight and simple. 2. Don't try to complicate matters. It should only be simple and plain so everyone can understand. 3. Make everything plain and simple and exact. Bring things right to the point. 4. Be plain and simple so everyone can understand.

A dead language is one only spoken by spirits

Q. Define "coup de grâce". A. A lawn mower.

Q. Define "Faux pas". A. Bad feet.

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