What does accidental mean?
Word: Accidental
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Accidental means happening by chance, without being planned or meant.
Synonyms: unintentional, unplanned, chance
Antonyms: intentional, planned
How do you spell accidental?
Syllables: ac - ci - den - tal
Tricky part: It starts with a double c: the first c says k and the second says s, as in accept.
Watch out for: acidental, aksidental
Memory tip: Picture two cars in a small bump: two cars, two c's at the start of accidental.
Accidental in a sentence
Example 1: Spilling the paint was accidental, so the teacher did not scold him.
Example 2: Our meeting at the bookshop was accidental, but we had a lovely chat.
Example 3: Tick this box if the damage to the phone was accidental.
Fun Fact
Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 was accidental. While he was away on holiday, a mould grew on one of his dishes of germs, and the germs around it could not grow.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) accidental
b) terrable
c) ocasional
d) beautyful
Show answer
a) accidental. Occasional needs a double c, terrible has an i and beautiful has no y, which leaves accidental.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word: accidental
a) sudden
b) unlucky
c) careless
d) deliberate
Show answer
d) deliberate. Deliberate means done on purpose, the opposite of happening by chance.
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
accident____
a) el
b) le
c) ul
d) al
Show answer
d) al. Accident takes the same ending as natural and musical.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
acc_d_ntal
a) i, i
b) i, e
c) e, i
d) e, a
Show answer
b) i, e. The word grows from accident: ac-ci-dent.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is accidental?
a) writing a letter to a friend
b) packing a bag for a trip
c) planting a tree on purpose
d) dropping a glass by mistake
Show answer
d) dropping a glass by mistake
2. Which sentence describes an accidental discovery?
a) Asha bought a rare coin at a shop.
b) Asha found an old coin while planting seeds.
c) Asha saved coins in a jar for a year.
d) Asha counted the coins in her purse.
Show answer
b) Asha found an old coin while planting seeds.
