What does alternative mean?
Word: Alternative
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Alternative means another choice you can take instead of the first one.
Synonyms: choice, substitute
How do you spell alternative?
Syllables: al - ter - na - tive
Tricky part: Students hear ur in the middle and write alturnative, or double the l at the start; it is al, then ter, as in alter.
Watch out for: alturnative, allternative, alternativ
Memory tip: The word starts with alter, to change: an alternative lets you change your plan.
Alternative in a sentence
Example 1: If the bridge is closed, the only alternative is the long road through the market.
Example 2: Cycling to school is a healthy alternative to the bus.
Example 3: We had no alternative but to wait for the rain to stop.
Fun Fact
Alternative comes from Latin alter, the other of two. Some older grammar books insisted an alternative must be one of exactly two choices.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
alternative
a) original
b) option
c) necessity
d) obstacle
Show answer
b) option. When you have an option, you can pick it instead of something else.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) competitive
b) imaginative
c) alternitive
d) informative
Show answer
c) alternitive. Imaginative, competitive and informative are all correct; alternative has na after the n, not ni.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
naitervelta
a) alteration
b) alternative
c) alternatively
d) alternate
Show answer
b) alternative. Alternate has no i or v, alteration has an o, and alternatively needs a second l and a y.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A doctor suggests an alternative to sugar. She is suggesting ____.
a) a reason to give up all sweets
b) a better way to store the sugar
c) something to use instead of sugar
d) a smaller spoonful of sugar each day
Show answer
c) something to use instead of sugar
2. If you have no alternative, you ____.
a) can pick from many plans
b) have no time to decide
c) must ask someone else to decide
d) are left with just one way forward
Show answer
d) are left with just one way forward
