Try taking this quiz on words beginning with "ca" to see whether you'll earn a "C" or an "A":

1. Owning a BMW has a certain (cache, cachet), especially if it has a (cache, cachet) to hide your cash.

2. Joe, who served as my (caddy, caddie) during our golf match, brought a tea (caddy, caddie) into the lounge.

3. The podiatrist had a (callous, callus) expression as she removed the (callous, callus) on my toe.

4. According to the (canons, cannons) of artillery science, (canons, cannons) should be located on high ground.

5. We will (canvas, canvass) the neighborhood for information about the missing piece of (canvas, canvass).

6. The state (capital, capitol) is the large white building near the center of the (capital, capitol) city.

7. He bought a two-(carat, karat) diamond and a 24-(carat, karat) gold ring.

8. The proofreader chewed on a (carrot, caret) as she inserted a (carrot, caret) into the text of a manuscript.

9. The canoe (careered, careened) wildly and capsized as a speeding car (careered, careened) down a nearby road.

10. Although the critic's whimsical approach was considered (capricious, captious), his sarcastic barbs were (capricious, captious).

11. We admired the (cardsharp, card shark) for his skill at poker, and we were glad he wasn't a (cardsharp, card shark).

12. The (calendar, calender) was printed on cloth that had been smoothed by a (calendar, calender).

Answers:

1. cachet (ka-SHAY) — prestige, mark of approval; cache (kash) — hiding place 2. caddie — one who carries clubs in golf (sometimes spelled "caddy"); caddy — a small container or box used to hold tea 3. callous (adjective) — hardened, thickened, having no emotion; callus (noun) — hard, thick area on skin or bark

4. canons — principles or rules; cannons — big guns 5. canvass (verb) — to examine carefully, survey; canvas (noun) — closely-woven cloth 6. capitol — building; capital — city where seat of government is located 7. carat — unit of weight for precious stones; karat — a unit of fineness for gold 8. carrot — the vegetable; caret — wedge-shaped proofreader's mark indicating an insertion

9. careened — heeled over, swayed from side to side; careered — traveled at top speed in a head-long manner 10. capricious — whimsical; captious — ill-natured, critical. 11. card shark — a skillful card player; cardsharp — someone who cheats at cards 12. calendar — register of days of the year, schedule; calender — a rolling machine used in glazing paper or smoothing cloth.

Rob Kyff, a teacher and writer in West Hartford, Connecticut, invites your language sightings. His book, "Mark My Words," is available for $9.99 on Amazon.com. Send your reports of misuse and abuse, as well as examples of good writing, via email to [email protected] or by regular mail to Rob Kyff, Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254.

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