In British and Australian English, when two words sound similar but one is spelt with a ‘c’ and the other with an ‘s’, it is usually the case that the former is a noun and the latter is a verb. In a previous blog post we shared four pairs of words that follow this rule and today we have another pair to add to the list: prophecy and prophesy. The difference in meaning between these two words is also present in American English. A prophecy is a prediction of something that will happen in the future. It is pronounced prof-eh-see. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word and to hear how its...
What does each word mean? The word balmy is an adjective used to describe mild and pleasant weather. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is balmy used in an example sentence: The weather was unexpectedly balmy. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word balmy. Barmy means mad, crazy, or foolish. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is barmy used in an example sentence: It drives my sister barmy when I leave the television on standby instead of turning it off properly. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word barmy. Where does each word co...
What does each word mean? If something is moot, it is open to argument or debate. Moot can also be used to describe something that is insignificant or irrelevant.Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is moot used in an example sentence: It was a moot point. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list using the word moot. The verb mute describes the act of muffling or silencing a noise. As a noun, mute is used to refer to both someone who is unable to speak and something used to soften the sound of an instrument. As an adjective, the word describes someone who is unable to speak. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary defin...
What is a hyphen? A hyphen is a short dash which is used to link words together. There are three main situations in which hyphens are used: in compound words, when adding a prefix to another word, and to denote word breaks. This week, we will look at how to use hyphens in compound words. What is a compound word? A compound word is a word that is made up of two or more other words. Hyphens are often used in compound words either to show that when the included words are together they have a combined meaning, or to show the relationship between the included words. There are different types of compound words and you don’t need to use hyphens in all of them. Compound Adjectives...
A few weeks ago, in part two of our series on Word Classes, we looked at pronouns. A pronoun used in a sentence to avoid repeating a noun that has been mentioned before. We use the term personal pronoun to describe pronouns used to replace words for people or things. Personal pronouns include: I, me, mine, you, yours, his, her, hers, we, they, and them. Personal pronouns can be categorised into the following four groups: Subjective Pronouns The term subjective pronoun is used to describe the pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, and they. This is because these pronouns work as subjects of verbs in a sentence. Here are some examples of subjective pronouns: She threw the ba...
What does each word mean? The word curb is a verb used to describe the act of restraining or restricting something. As a noun, the word can also describe the restraint or restriction itself. In American English, curb also refers to the edge between a sidewalk (pavement) and a road. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is curb used in some example sentences: He needs to learn how to curb his temper. In England, there are curbs on watching television without a license. Click here to create a Spellzone vocabulary list including the word curb. In British English, the word kerb describes the raised edge that separates a road from the p...
Often, in our Commonly Confused Words and Word for Wednesday blog posts, we use word classes to describe the way a word functions within a sentence. Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going back to the drawing board. What are the main word classes? What are their functions? There are nine main word classes: adjective, adverb, conjunction, determiner, exclamation, noun, pronoun, preposition, and verb. While this list might look daunting, it is very likely that you are already using words within each of these classes instinctively and correctly. Knowing the names of the word classes is useful for describing what a word is doing in a sentence and for helping you tell apart commonly c...
What does each word mean? Broach is a verb that means ‘to bring up a topic of discussion’. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is broach used in an example sentence: It was a difficult subject to broach, but she finally worked up the courage to ask for a raise. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word broach. Brooch, on the other hand, is a noun. The word is used to describe a type of ornament which is pinned onto clothing. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is brooch used in some example sentences: This brooch was passed down to me from my g...
What does each word mean? As a noun, the word ‘pore’ refers to a tiny hole in a surface (e.g. the skin) which allows particles, liquids, or gases to pass through it. As a verb, it is used to describe the act of reading or studying something thoroughly. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is pore used in some example sentences: She uses a pore-minimising lotion. In the weeks leading up to his exam, he stayed up all night poring over his books. Click here to find the Spellzone vocabulary lists featuring the word pore. If you are pouring something, you are causing it to flow quickly and steadily. Click here for the full S...
In British English, when two words sound similar but one is spelt with a ‘c’ and the other with an ‘s’, it is usually the case that the former is a noun and the latter is a verb. Today we’re looking at four pairs of words that follow this rule and share some example sentences which show how to use each word. Confusing Words Example sentences What about in American English? Are there any exceptions Advice vs. Advise Advice is a noun meaning ‘guidance’ or ‘recommendations’: The doctor’s advice was to rest and drink plenty of water. My ...
What does each word mean? As a noun and an adjective, the word quiet describes a lack of noise. As a verb, quiet refers something becoming less loud. Click here for the full Spellzone dictionary definition of the word. Here is quiet used in some example sentences: The sea was calm, but he was worried it was quiet before the storm. The library is usually quiet during the day, but it becomes noisier once school finishes. She tried to quieten the crying baby. Click here for the Spellzone word lists which include the word quiet. Quite is an adverb that shows the extent or degree to which something is the case. The word has different...
Most plurals are formed by adding an -s to the end of the word. However, you should NEVER use an apostrophe to form a plural (click here for Ten Tips for Using Apostrophes). If the noun ends in a consonant plus –y, form the plural by swapping the –y for –ies. Click here for a word list. Watch out: if the noun ends in a vowel plus –y, form the plural by adding –s as usual. For example, story (as in a tale/book) becomes stories, whereas storey (as in a floor/level) becomes storeys. If the noun ends in –ch, -s, -sh, -x, or -z, form the plural by adding –es. Click here for a word list. HOWEVER, if a noun ending in...
Recently a Spellzone user got in touch with us to ask for information on the words device and devise. Naturally we thought these words would make a great subject for our Commonly Confused Words series. In British English, when two words look similar but one is spelt with a ‘c’ and the other is spelt with an ‘s’, it is often the case that the former is a noun and the latter is a verb. For example, when spelt with a ‘c’, the word ‘practice’ refers to application of an idea or the carrying out of a profession: He tried to put his new maths skills into practice, but still needed a calculator to work out the final sum. Dr Smi...
What does each word mean? To is a preposition. This means it shows the relation between the noun or pronoun and another part of the sentence. Some examples of pronouns are: at, after, between, on, through, and until. Click here to see the Oxford English Dictionary’s full definition of the word. Here is to used in some example sentences (the italics highlight the noun or pronoun): This afternoon I’m going to the hairdressers. The baked beans are kept in the cupboard to the left of the fridge. To her surprise, the film left her close to tears. My uncle, who is married to my aunt, is not a blood relative. The word too is used to express that either something i...
This week’s Word for Wednesday is a noun most of us will use every day. Unfortunately we can’t see it, hear it or touch it. It is in fact a phenomenon so incredibly abstract that it can easily slip out of our grasp. It seems to have the ability to bend and stretch, to fleet and vanish. Tolkien once wrote a wonderful riddle to which our word is the answer: This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down. Time is constantly around us but nowhere to be seen. It is a system so deeply ingrained in our psyche that it is almost impossible to conceive a state of ...
As it is Christmas this week, we’ve decided to share our top five word games with you – whether you have a houseful of guests to entertain, or are looking to while away a few hours between opening presents and Christmas dinner, these games are sure to keep you busy! Hangman It doesn’t seem right to put together a list of word games, without mentioning Hangman. Despite being almost every supply teacher’s go to lesson plan, this game is actually quite fun, and a good way of reusing scraps of wrapping paper once all the presents have been opened. If you’d like to play by yourself, we have our own online version of the game, Which Witch! Word Association ...
The word Keeper is derived from the Middle English verb kepen; the act of taking possession and or care of something. The Oxford English dictionary tells us that a keeper is a person charged with responsibility for the preservation and conservation of something valuable. Strangely we hear the idiom ‘I am not my brother’s keeper’ (a distorted quote from the Biblical story of Cain and Abel); apparently brothers don’t qualify as valuable! Most often, the word keeper is used with a prefix: goalkeeper, gatekeeper, zookeeper and so on. However, keeper is sometimes used in informal contexts as a noun referring to something of high quality worth keeping, ‘this one’s a keeper’. The title of ‘kee...
The word of choice this week is inspired by a story I was told in France earlier this summer – it is strange how often the stories behind words can come up in conversation and this one was a bit potty. After a little research it seemed that there were many popular theories surrounding this word with no clear winner. However, none of the stories are without erm… charm and are perhaps worth a thought! loo noun British informal • a toilet: The first recorded appearance of this word, rather unsurprisingly, appears in James Joyce’s Ulysses. First published in its entirety in 1922, in Paris where Joyce was living at the time – even the very first recording of the word links to France. Even ...
The words effect and affect are perhaps two of the most confused words in the English language. Oxford Dictionary Online reports that the most-searched word each month is ‘affect’. So if you have struggled with these words in the past, you are certainly not alone! Interestingly, the words themselves actually have entirely different meanings and functions… ‘Effect’ usually functions as a noun: ‘You will be banned from the tournament with immediate effect’ in this context effect is a noun, the state of something being in effect. ‘Being banned from the tournament had a terrible effect on your results’ So a good definition for...
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