On a pedantic note: shutdown is a noun. Shut down is a phrasal verb. You don't "get shutdown," but you do "get shut down." This applies to all sorts of phrasal verbs and their noun forms: break down vs. breakdown, take off versus takeoff, etc. Quick quiz:
1. The _____ of Congress meant politicians had nothing to do.
a. shut down
b. shutdown
a. shut down
b. shutdown
2. Your sink is going to _____ if you keep dumping crap into it.
a. back up
b. backup
3. "We need _____ !" yelled Officer Riggs.
a. back up
b. backup
a. back up
b. backup
4. It was a dinnertime _____ that traumatized the kids.
a. blow up
a. blow up
b. blowup
5. Let's look one more time at your _____ of the situation.
a. break down
b. breakdown
a. break down
b. breakdown
6. Our car tends to _____ every time we go on a long trip.
a. break down
b. breakdown
a. break down
b. breakdown
I hope there are no more fuckups.
No quiz answers provided. Is that a fuckup?
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ReplyDelete1. b
ReplyDelete2. b
3. a
4. b
5. a
6. b
Answers:
ReplyDelete1. b
2. a
3. b
4. b
5. b
6. a
Basically: closed compound = noun; open compound = verb. Examples:
ReplyDeletebreakup = noun
break up = verb
Damn, I did worse than I expected. One more pothole I'm liable to step in as I stroll down Grammar Road.
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