# New Writing Activity Proposed:  Enhance this Statement



## Em in Ohio (Jun 23, 2020)

The *o*riginal *p*oster writes a simple sentence in a new thread.
Responders rephrase and elaborate on that sentence to express the same concept.
They all mean the same thing, but say it in different ways.

Example - *OP* starts thread: "*Enhance This:  *It may rain a lot."

*Respondents posts might be:*

There may be rain aplenty.

We have the expectation of prolonged rain in the forecast.

Precipitation is expected for the rest of the day.

We can anticipate long periods of precipitation throughout the day.

There will be extensive precipitation for the next 24 hours.

We have the possibility for continuous liquid precipitation through tomorrow.

On Tuesday, precipitation in the form of rain may be constant.

Meteorologically speaking, the weather is wet!

Rain may be non-stop for a prolonged period today.


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## StarSong (Jun 23, 2020)

It appears the old man is about to start snoring.


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## Judycat (Jun 23, 2020)

Locally, cats and dogs may be falling from the sky!


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 23, 2020)

@Pepper @Judycat :  This was just a test!

Haha - I just realized my mistake in trying to describe this new idea... You both captured the concept perfectly, but I was trying to prompt use of a thesaurus - having folks use synonyms and different sentence structures to convey the same message, not sayings that express the same concept.

'My bad' in not being clear!  On the other hand, these sayings need a place to call home! Would folks outside the USA know what they mean? Do they have equivalent expressions?

So, I'm torn.  Perhaps they need separate threads labeled "Explain this Expression."  

Or, they stay here and get labeled something like "Common Sayings." 

I'm talking to myself, haha!  Okay, I think that they stay here but get labeled as "Common Saying."  My rationale is that, as separate threads, there would likely only be one response explaining what the expression means.  So, I will add to the instructions to ask folks to label such posts as "Common Saying."  (At least until I find a flaw in that idea as well!)


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 23, 2020)

The *o*riginal *p*oster writes a simple sentence in a new thread entitled "*Enhance this Sentence:* (Your sentence goes here)"
Responders paraphrase and elaborate on that sentence using different sentence structures to express the same concept.
Responders might also post a common saying that means the same thing. (These should be labeled "*idiom*.")
They all mean the same thing, but say it in different ways.


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## Judycat (Jun 23, 2020)

Sounds a bit tedious but enjoy yourselves.


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## RadishRose (Jun 23, 2020)

Well, I've learned that Brits don't say it's "pouring", they often say it's "lashing down" with rain.


Em in Ohio said:


> (These should be labeled "*idiom*.")


Like, "The Idiom and the Odyssey"?   LOL, J/K..... 
I rather like this...


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## jujube (Jun 23, 2020)

It's raining cats and dogs.  I know, because I just stepped in a Poodle.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 23, 2020)

Judycat said:


> Sounds a bit tedious but enjoy yourselves.


It is meant to improve our writing and stimulate our brains.  My brain likes the challenge and needs all the exercise it can get.


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## Judycat (Jun 23, 2020)

As I said. Have fun.


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## Gary O' (Jun 23, 2020)

Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 24, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock


Precipitation will fall on the hard terrain in a way that resembles bovine urination.


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## Meanderer (Jun 24, 2020)

Sounds like this should be in the games section....for those who are "game".


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## StarSong (Jun 24, 2020)

If I cain't have fun, I ain't playin' the game.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 24, 2020)

Meanderer said:


> Sounds like this should be in the games section....for those who are "game".


It was just a test to gauge interest; Word of the Day is a sub-forum under Games, as it isn't very challenging.  This one requires more effort and was aimed at improving language skills for everyone, including those for whom English is a second language.  Neither has drawn as much attention as Matrix hoped.

Anyone could have posted a new thread with the new format - just the simple starting sentence would be all that was required.  It is hard to guess people's comfort levels or desire for academic challenges.  We are a mixed batch!


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## Meanderer (Jun 24, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> It was just a test to gauge interest; Word of the Day is a sub-forum under Games, as it isn't very challenging.  This one requires more effort and was aimed at improving language skills for everyone, including those for whom English is a second language.  Neither has drawn as much attention as Matrix hoped.
> 
> Anyone could have posted a new thread with the new format - just the simple starting sentence would be all that was required.  It is hard to guess people's comfort levels or desire for academic challenges.  We are a mixed batch!


Their are reasons some members flock to games and others avoid games.  You can't force people to participate.    To imply that non-gamers do not desire academic challenges, is insulting.  Be content to keep games in the games section.


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## RadishRose (Jun 24, 2020)

I just don't understand this game, who picks the word, when, what info. Sorry.


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## Meanderer (Jun 24, 2020)

Once you start taking games out of the games section and sticking them in the general forum, you defeat the purpose of the games section.


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## Aunt Marg (Jun 24, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> Precipitation will fall on the hard terrain in a way that resembles bovine urination.


Cloudburst will saturate the hardscape similarly to that of micturate erupting on a plumb boulder with a homoloidal plane.


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## Aunt Marg (Jun 24, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> *We are a mixed batch*!


All of us possess a diversified perspective culminating in a variegated conglomerate.


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## peppermint (Jun 24, 2020)

I never liked games....But have fun...It's something to do at this time in our life...."Boring"


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## Aunt Marg (Jun 24, 2020)

peppermint said:


> I never liked games....But have fun...It's something to do at this time in our life...."Boring"


Then why not quietly pass the topic by? Why drop-in with intent to sully someone else's started topic that has meaning to them?


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## Meanderer (Jun 25, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> It was just a test to gauge interest; Word of the Day is a sub-forum under Games, as it isn't very challenging.  This one requires more effort and was aimed at improving language skills for everyone, including those for whom English is a second language.  Neither has drawn as much attention as Matrix hoped.
> 
> Anyone could have posted a new thread with the new format - just the simple starting sentence would be all that was required.  It is hard to guess people's comfort levels or desire for academic challenges.  We are a mixed batch!



@Em in Ohio
Correct me if I am wrong, but this thread was directed at “non-gamers” in a recruiting effort to have more of us join in the games.  It is also a test to gauge our interest.  So when a member posts a differing opinion about games, why are we told “Then why not quietly pass the topic by? Why drop-in with intent to sully someone else's started topic that has meaning to them”?  We did not “drop by”, we were invited…attracted, really by the “language exercise” hook.  Aren't all replies a part of the "test"?


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## Meanderer (Jun 25, 2020)

@Aunt Marg  said:

*“Precipitation will fall on the hard terrain in a way that resembles bovine urination”.

“Cloudburst will saturate the hardscape similarly to that of micturate erupting on a plumb boulder with a homoloidal plane”.*

I loved your two examples of “English on steroids”, that you came up with! Perhaps that would make a good title for the thread, in the Games Section.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 25, 2020)

Meanderer said:


> Their are reasons some members flock to games and others avoid games.  You can't force people to participate.    To imply that non-gamers do not desire academic challenges, is insulting.  Be content to keep games in the games section.


No insult was intended.  This proposed activity wasn't listed in games for a reason.  It was listed under English language.  It is a mental challenge, which some folks do find to be fun. The goal is educational - to promote language development and creative  writing.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 25, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock


Okay, here is an example: I played off the posting of Gary O.  If this was posted *as a new thread*, it would look like this:

*(OP) Enhance this:  *Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock.
*Someone rewords it to:  *Precipitation will fall on the hard terrain in a way that resembles bovine urination.
*Aunt Marg rewords it to:*  Cloudburst will saturate the hardscape similarly to that of micturate erupting on a plumb boulder with a homoloidal plane.

Now, I had no idea of the meaning of micturate, so I looked it up.  This is where dictionaries and thesauruses come in handy.

*micturate:  *formal verb form meaning urinate
*homoloidal:* adjective / Mathematics. Of or relating to straight lines and planes

*Aunt Marg took the sentence "Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock." and paraphrased it to read “Cloudburst will saturate the hardscape similarly to that of micturate erupting on a plumb boulder with a homoloidal plane”.  (Really creative, BTW!)*

They essentially say the same thing!  The concept does not change.

 Perhaps OP's could start with "paraphrase this:" or "reword this:"


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## Gary O' (Jun 25, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> Perhaps OP's could start with "paraphrase this:" or "reword this:"


Seems right

I'm not a participant in the games section
Not for or agin it
I can see why some folks like the games
It's a bit of an escape
Guess my crosswords do it for me


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 25, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Seems right
> 
> I'm not a participant in the games section
> Not for or agin it
> ...


This is not a game, it's a creative challenge under the English Language forum.
I give up.  I'll look for other sites to join that offer similar activities and I'll go back to playing my custom 20 tile scrabble game.
It was fun playing off your sentence!


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## Gary O' (Jun 25, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> This is not a game, it's a creative challenge under the English Language forum.


I get that
Didn't think it a game
Just played off some of the commentary 

I do like...actually love.... creative challenges

Haven't seen *'caption this' *threads in awhile
Where folks submit a pic
And we submit the words

I so miss those


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## Meanderer (Jun 25, 2020)

Rules for Underlining:

*Emphasis*
The need to emphasize the word is among the most common reasons for underlining. Other type styles, such as boldface and italic, are used as well. For example:

If a particular word or phrase in a piece of text is to be emphasized, particularly when the piece of text is to be read aloud.
To make a word or phrase seem accusatory in nature, as in "you're the real problem here, buster!"
To underscore something in a piece of writing that is particularly important: "books are not to be placed on the floor." The underline gives the word a bit more gravity.


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## Aunt Marg (Jun 25, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> Okay, here is an example: I played off the posting of Gary O.  If this was posted *as a new thread*, it would look like this:
> 
> *(OP) Enhance this:  *Gonna rain like a cow peein' on a flat rock.
> *Someone rewords it to:  *Precipitation will fall on the hard terrain in a way that resembles bovine urination.
> ...


I personally think "enhance" is great, because really, that's essentially the aim of this exercise, to enhance, polish, and refine something that a member puts forth, yet keeping the presented content original to the structure intended.


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## Meanderer (Jun 25, 2020)

"Enhance" can also describe  the illegal use of  steroids in many sports.


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## Meanderer (Jun 25, 2020)




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## JustBonee (Jun 25, 2020)

Feel like I'm back in high school  with all these 'word of the day'  threads you've started in games,    and now 'enhanced statements'.

Are you a retired English school teacher @Em in Ohio ?    .... just curious.  

Myself, I'm not into writing assignments,  so I'll just pass.


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## Kaila (Jun 25, 2020)

I had thought that the word "enhance" meant to "add to" something.....

rather than to paraphrase the same meaning...
Now I am not sure if I was mistaken. 

But therefore, I had thought we were invited to widen the scope of the meaning.
To expand upon it, as it would be a starting point.

But it seems that was not what was intended.?


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 25, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> I get that
> Didn't think it a game
> Just played off some of the commentary
> 
> ...


I also like that idea, but my brief search for a stimulating image failed.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 25, 2020)

Kaila said:


> I had thought that the word "enhance" meant to "add to" something.....
> 
> rather than to paraphrase the same meaning...
> Now I am not sure if I was mistaken.
> ...


The idea for was people to post a new thread with some words to indicate what to do with a relatively simple and boring sentence. 

The OP would write 're-word this:  She liked reading her books and riding her horse.'

Then others would rephrase that sentence and/or use a different structure to make it more interesting.

Or:  Tom sees a cat.  Tom spotted a feline.  A cat came into Tom's line-of-sight. etc.  

It could have a follow-up post that just changes a word to a synonym.


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## Kaila (Jun 25, 2020)

Okay, @Em in Ohio 
Thanks for answering my confusion and question.


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## Gary O' (Jun 25, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> I also like that idea, but my brief search for a stimulating image failed.


Doesn't even have to be stimulating
The challenge (for me) is to make something plain into stimulating


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## jerry old (Jun 25, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Like, "The Idiom and the Odyssey"?
> Top Drawer!


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## peppermint (Jun 25, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Seems right
> 
> I'm not a participant in the games section
> Not for or agin it
> ...


I never went there...Didn't know we had games here....But I really don't like games...


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