Make Your Point > Archived Issues > BOON

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

explore the archives: Good friends. A comfy place to live. The freedom to express our opinions. That back-up camera in the car that keeps everybody safer when we put it in reverse. These are boons: wonderful things we've been given that improve our lives. Change the vowel sound in boon and you get b_ne, the opposite: something awful that causes destruction. In other words, a b_ne is a curse and a boon is a blessing. make your point with... "BOON" A boon is a gift or a favor that we're grateful for. In other words, a boon is a blessing, or a welcome benefit. Pronunciation: BOON (rhymes with "noon") Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one boon or multiple boons.) Other forms: boons How to use it: When you need to be formal and serious, and when you need to suggest that something inspires gratitude, pick "boon" instead of "blessing," "favor," "benefit," or "advantage." Because this word is so short, in speech we linger on it, saying it slower to emphasize it. Boons can be people ("she's a boon to her team"), but they're most often things: "the calm waters were a boon to the rowers," "written language was a boon to recorded history," "Google is a glorious boon for fact-checkers," "the loosened regulations proved to be a boon for the industry." Notice in the examples above how we often say something is a boon to or for the person or thing that it helps. When we talk about "a/the boon of something," notice how that can mean two different things: either the benefit itself ("thank goodness for the boon of air conditioning") or the thing that provides the benefit ("greater efficiency is one of the boons of a well-organized office"). Add an adjective, if you like, to talk about boons of certain degrees or types, like    a huge boon,     a major boon,    a potential boon,     a further boon,    a definite or certain boon,    an unalloyed boon,     or an undisputed boon; or,    a marketing boon,    a financial boon,    a contractual boon,    an economic boon,    or a public relations boon. The plural, "boons," is less common than the singular, but you can also talk about the multiple boons of something ("the boons of social reform," "the boons of renewable energy"), or the boons provided by or delivered by someone or something, etc. examples: Apparently her winnings weren't the boon she thought they would be: Jane Park is suing the UK's National Lottery, claiming that the money ruined her life.  The Kingsport Carousel Project has been a boon for the community, whose members came together to raise funds and refurbish the animals and chariots. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "boon" means when you can explain it without saying "something that makes you feel thankful" or "a blessing granted." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "_____ has/have been a boon to _____ ." Example: "Finally selling our previous home has been a boon to our family." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is "What's the Difference?" I’ll give you two terms. Without using Google or a dictionary, explain how they’re different. Go beyond saying, "well, I know the difference, but I can’t explain it," or "show me an example and I'll tell you which it is." In your explanations, try to focus on features, not comparisons. For example, what's the difference between climate and weather? A good explanation focuses on features: "climate is what’s going on in the atmosphere over long periods of time, and weather is what’s going on in the atmosphere at a particular place and time." A weaker explanation focuses on comparisons: "climate is more concerning than weather." The game will get harder as the month goes on: we’ll start with objects—natural first, then man-made—then switch to concepts. Let’s do this! From yesterday: What's the difference between being asocial and antisocial? Answer: According to some psychologists and grammarians, being asocial means we're not interested in socializing, while being antisocial means we're actively doing something inconsiderate or harmful toward others. But this is one of those differences that's often ignored in casual speech. And if you care to ignore it, too, go right ahead: dictionaries acknowledge both meanings for both words.  Try this today: What's the difference between cohesion and coherence? review today's word: 1. One opposite of BOON is A. DEARTH B. DETRIMENT C. DERRING-DO 2. The poet rambles, bemoaning life as a "boonless boon," _____. A. a surprise that is truly no surprise at all B. a journey that is truly no journey at all C. a gift that is truly no gift at all Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C