Basic Details
Word: Activities
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Things that people do, especially for interest, fun or exercise. It is the plural of activity.
Synonyms: pursuits, pastimes, tasks, events
Antonyms: inactivity, idleness
How to Spell Activities
Syllables: ac - tiv - i - ties
Tricky part: Activity ends in a consonant plus y, so the plural changes y to ies: activities, not activitys. Count the i's: there are three.
Watch out for: activitys, activites, activeties
Memory tip: Start from active, drop its e, add ity, then turn y into ies. Picture the three dots of the i's as three children running between three activities.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The summer camp in Manali offered activities such as rock climbing and pottery.
Example 2: My little brother has so many after-school activities that he hardly gets time to play.
Example 3: The school cancelled all outdoor activities because of the heavy rain.
Fun Fact
The same y to ies rule turns city into cities and baby into babies, but a vowel before the y keeps it: monkey becomes monkeys.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word activities as used in the sentence:
The hobby club runs weekend activities like chess, origami and nature walks.
a) inactivity
b) pursuits
c) complaints
d) rest periods
Show answer
b) pursuits. Pursuits are things people do for interest, which is what these activities are.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
activitiies
a) v
b) e
c) i
d) t
Show answer
c) i. The plural ending is -ies, with a single i before the e.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. libary 2. activities 3. compitition 4. excercises
a) a place where books are kept for reading or borrowing
b) physical movements done to stay fit
c) an event in which people try to win
d) things people do for interest, fun or work
Show answer
d) things people do for interest, fun or work. Activity turns its y into ies for the plural, so activities is spelt right; the other three each carry one slip.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The school calendar is packed with cultural esiiitcvta this term.
a) activists
b) actuates
c) activates
d) activities
Show answer
d) activities. Three i's and one e are hiding in the jumble, which matches activities and none of the others.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The singular form of activities is ____.
a) activist
b) action
c) activity
d) active
Show answer
c) activity
2. Pick the activity that is not done outdoors.
a) kite flying
b) reading in bed
c) trekking
d) cycling
Show answer
b) reading in bed
