Match Wits With Our Word Wizards
(Illustrated version of Word Wizards)
Shibboleths in English continued
kind of, type of, and sort of
Select from each group the words or phrases preferred in formal writing. (In
one sentence, neither choice is correct.)
- The congressman asked the reporter, "What (sort of, type of )
remark is that?"
- This does not mean that the other prediction models are faulty; each model
of this (kind, type, sort ) met
the criteria of the communications satellite needs of its time.
- We're all (kind of, sort of ) tired of hearing about her
accomplishments.
- This (kind of a, kind of, type of,
type of a ) mathematical analysis did not
produce consistent results.
- In some cases, this (type of, kind of ) deviation must be provided
simultaneously.
- On the basis of experience with the same (type
of, kind of, sort of ) exchanger, the temperature difference was
unacceptable.
- Problem formulation can utilize more than one (type of, kind of a
, kind of ) analysis tool.
- That Westside publication is the (sort of
a, sort of, kind of ) newspaper associated with the term
"rag."
- The generated spiral bevel gears are sensitive to misalignment that will
cause a shift in bearing contact and the (type
of, types of, kind of, kinds
of, sort of, sorts of ) transmission errors shown in figure
11(b).
- The critical constraint list should include all (types of, type
of, kinds of, kind of ) behavior constraints.
- This (type of, kind of a, sort
of ) slip is present in angular-contact ball bearings.
- The 1- by 1-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel uses several different (types of, kinds
of, sorts of ) experimental
research tools.
- With that (type of a, type of, kind of
, kind of a ) thermocouple, you can expect
problems.
For an explanation of kind of, type of, and sort
of, see Quirks of English.