Final answer:
The term 'adjoining' means next to or joined with something. It's relevant in various aspects of English, from mapping puzzles to grammar and word formation. Examples include word choice, phonetics, and the process of altering words by adding prefixes or suffixes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term adjoining refers to something being next to or joined with something else. In the context of the provided text, it could describe items or features that are placed together on a map as part of a puzzle game. This concept is also relevant in discussions about writing and word choice, as seen in the advice from Mark Twain regarding the use of adjectives. Similarly, in phonetics, adjoining sounds refer to those that occur close together, like consonance in the provided example of 'the slithering snake shakes its little rattle.'
Adjoining can also come up in grammar when discussing the modification of words through prefixes or suffixes. The exploration of word formation, such as turning 'hop' into 'hopping' by doubling the last consonant before adding 'ing,' showcases the importance of understanding how adjoining letters affect word structure and spelling.