High School is such a distant past and yet a fleeting thought can trigger a memory that snaps me back to 1980 something. Such was the case with the following cheer:
How funky is your chicken?
How loose is your goose?
So come on everybody!
And shake your caboose!
Yeah, I have no comment. But it came to my mind when I was thinking about today's grammar lesson: Loose vs. Lose
The confusion between the two is another common grammar mistake. First, let us focus on the pronunciation of each.
Lose ( ˈlüz ) rhymes with whOSE. I know it also rhymes with booze (and therein lies the trouble) BUT if you spell it the same, you lose! So, when you want to choose "lose" remember "whose"!
Loose ( ˈlüs ) rhymes with the word "footloose"! Remember that loose, goose, moose, and caboose all rhyme and they also all take two "o's"
NOTE: Lose is a verb. Loose is an adjective.
Example:
I think she might lose her tooth because her fall knocked it loose.
Just remember: Lose lost an O!
Here is one final sentence that may help you remember the difference between lose and loose:
If I lose five pounds then my belt will be lOOse because I'll have more rOOm.
Think you got it? Take the quiz!
Want to learn more? Check out the dictionary entries for LOSE and LOOSE.
Comments
Saturday 2 August 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by jiffy11
Thanks for the quick lesson. Those are two words I'm always getting mixed up. The little rhymes are a big help.
Jennifer
