Why Did My Teacher Deduct Points for My Sentence?

[Willis666]

Today I had a vocabulary test at school. One of the words on the test was recluse, and I had to use it in a sentence. I wrote the following:

Osama was believed to live in recluse.

The teacher put a -1 mark next to the sentence. Usually the teacher will write next to the sentence why it was wrong, but she just wrote -1. Why would she take points off? I didn't have time to bring it up with her today. I also had been drawing in the margins and such on the test, since I finished early, so I was thinking she may have been mad about that and took it out on Osama. My other thought was that she didn't know what Osama was. I really want this one right, since I got an 89%, and with that 1 point, I would have gotten a 92%, which looks a lot better.

 

[DaveC426913]

Have you looked up the usage of the word? You understand the meaning the root word, but you have used the word incorrectly.

 

[jtbell]

Plugging "definition of recluse" into Google gives me this:

"Noun: A person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people."

I don't think you intended to write something that means "Osama was believed to live in a person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people."

A related noun that would fit your sentence better is "reclusion" ("the state of living apart from society, like a hermit").

"Osama was believed to live in reclusion."

 

[Evo]

In other words, a person can be a recluse, but they cannot live in recluse.

Substitute the word "hermit" for recluse. "Osama was believed to live in hermit." See how that doesn't work?

 

[StevieTNZ]

I thought sentence was spelt exactly that way, not sentance?

 

[Evo]

I thought sentence was spelt exactly that way, not sentance?

It is *spelled* sentence. And spelt is an ancient form of wheat. Brit! or NZ person (even worse) You probably have *tyres* on your car.

 

[StevieTNZ]

It is *spelled* sentence.

Ah yes! Of course!

or NZ person (even worse)

Clearly

You probably have *tyres* on your car.

My dad has tyres on his car. I never want to drive.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Recluse should be capitalized.

 

[lisab]

Recluse should be capitalized.

Ah...Recluse, New Jersey. I've never been.

 

[SW VandeCarr]

Osama lived in reclusion but it was a delusion..

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Ah...Recluse, New Jersey. I've never been.

Wyoming actually. When I was 17 I was born there and haven't been seen since. Not that I'm much to look at. Anyway, when the population hit 13, the contradiction got to be too much for me and I moved to Wisconsin where I live as a recluse on Hermit Island.

 

[feathermoon]

Here I thought Recluse only existed in fantasy fiction. Do they export much black iron from Wyoming?

 

[Curious3141]

Forget Recluse, Wyoming. I've always wanted to visit Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

 

[russ_watters]

Pennsylvania's the Quaker State, so it's pretty disappointing.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Pennsylvania's the Quaker State, so it's pretty disappointing.

Perhaps Lititz would be more to your liking.

 

[lisab]

Forget Recluse, Wyoming. I've always wanted to visit Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

You better go there via Truth Or Consequences.

 

[Saladsamurai]

You're all going to Hell, Michigan.

 

[DaveC426913]

I actually went to Hell, Cayman Islands over Christmas.

 

[jtbell]

You're all going to Hell, Michigan.

Been there already:

http://www.aabts.org/ohr/

About thirty years ago I rode a train through Hell, Norway:

 

[Kholdstare]

None of you ever been in "****ing", Austria?

 

[russ_watters]

Been there already:

http://www.aabts.org/ohr/

About thirty years ago I rode a train through Hell, Norway:

I suppose a snowball has a pretty good chance there.

 

[DaveC426913]

Also, click to see my vaykay pix to Cozumel.

 

[rollcast]

It is *spelled* sentence. And spelt is an ancient form of wheat. Brit! or NZ person (even worse) You probably have *tyres* on your car.

Who was using English before America was even discovered.

OH YES, the English!

So who do you think has to right to judge the others spelling?

 

[Evo]

Who was using English before America was even discovered.

OH YES, the English!

So who do you think has to right to judge the others spelling?

Americans do, we fixed their mistakes.

 

[rollcast]

Americans do, we fixed their mistakes.

This English vs. Americanised (note the use of an s and not a z) English could end up like this comedy sketch.

 

[Evo]

This English vs. Americanised (note the use of an s and not a z) English could end you like this comedy sketch.

That was funny.

 

[Willis666]

Wow, that's a lot of replies. Thanks for the answers!

 

[phinds]

Who was using English before America was even discovered.

OH YES, the English!

So who do you think has to right to judge the others spelling?

Newton "discovered" gravity before Einstein, but had it wrong. Would you have Newtonians judge Einstein's physics?

Same with language. The Brits had it first but got it wrong, and we Americans have corrected tons of their mistakes.