Voter Turnout
I will send out some handy tips and useful exercises for adults learning to navigate and use the English language each week. Please feel free to share this newsletter with friends and colleagues.
The U.S. Presidential elections are getting close and the results could impact people all over the world, so for the next few weeks, we will explore some unique qualities of the American election process. Today, we will look at voter turnout. You might be surprised to learn that the number of people who actually vote in America is relatively low. In the last Presidential election, only 66.3% of the voting-eligible population turned out to vote, and that was a historically high number.
Why is the turnout so low? This week’s newsletter will examine a couple of theories.
Reading Tip
Language Level – B2
We don’t know what will happen next month regarding voter turnout for the 2024 Presidential election in the U.S. However, this is an issue that has been examined and discussed for decades. Read this article, following the last election in 2022, that examines why the U.S. turnout is lower in comparison to other countries:
https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-does-us-voter-turnout-compare-rest-worlds
Listening Tip
Language Level – B1
There are many different reasons why a person may choose to vote or not vote in an election. This video gives a good explanation of the voter registration process in America and also examines some common reasons for people not voting.
Grammar Tip
Language Level – B2
A dangling modifier is a modifier that has nothing to modify. In other words, a dangling modifier is an error caused by failing to use the word that the modifier is meant to be modifying. For example:
- Walking through the park, the squirrels were chattering in the trees.
(The phrase “walking through the park” is a dangling modifier. It does not modify anything in the sentence.)
- Walking through the park, Sarah could hear the squirrels chattering in the trees.
(This time, the phrase is not a dangling modifier. It modifies “Sarah.”)
Misplaced Modifiers
A misplaced modifier does not link clearly to what it is meant to modify.
- John hit the man with the cream cake.
(Did the man get a cream cake in the face or was he the one with the cream cake? With a misplaced modifier, the thing being modified is present (this is how it differs from a dangling modifier), but the modifier does not link to it clearly.)
Squinting Modifiers
A squinting modifier could feasibly modify the text to its left or right.
- Talking quickly annoys people.
(Does quick talking annoy people or does talking annoy people quickly?)
Remember that with a dangling modifier, the thing being modified is not present
Let’s Practice!
Correct each of the sentences below. The sentence may have a dangling, squinting, or misplaced modifier.
- Packing my kit into three huge holdalls, my little Jack Russell could tell a long trip was coming.
- With a ferocious appetite for extracurricular activities, Sergeant Baker’s work ethic is remarkable.
- While crossing the road, the bus hit Janet.
- Walking through the cemetery, the trees became long-fingered ghouls.
- Cycling up hills quickly strengthens your quadriceps.
- Public speakers who pause briefly refocus their audience.
- Lee only eats cakes.
- Andrew said after the holiday he intends to stop drinking.
Vocabulary Tip
Language Level – B2
We continue to add to our vocabulary words from the Oxford 3000.
A list of 3000 words someone should know if they are taking the CEFR (Common European Framework Reference) language tests.
- Decrease (v, n)
- Deeply (adv)
- Defeat (v, n)
- Defence (n)
- Defend (v)
- Delay (v, n)
- Deliberate (adj)
- Deliberately (adv)
- Delight (v, n)
- Delighted (adj)
Study these words with this quizlet.
Each week new words are added to the same quizlet, so all of the B2 level words will be in one list for practice.
Weekly Challenge
Language Level – B1
Watch this video to review the difference between Homophones, Homographs, and Homonyms.
Then make a list, like the example below, of as many Homophones, Homographs and Homonyms that you can think of. You can use the examples from the video to get you started.
Homophone Homograph Homonym
bear/bare lead/lead bark/bark
Questions?
