What does awry mean?
Word: Awry
Part of Speech: Adverb, adjective
Meaning: Awry means not the way it was planned or expected. It can also mean out of its proper position.
Synonyms: askew, crooked
How do you spell awry?
Syllables: a - wry
Tricky part: The w makes no sound, so students who spell by ear leave it out or put it in the wrong place.
Watch out for: aury, arwy
Memory tip: When plans go awry they go wrong, and wrong carries the same silent w.
Awry in a sentence
Example 1: Our plan for a surprise party went awry when Grandma came home early.
Example 2: A strong gust through the window left the curtains and the wall calendar all awry.
Example 3: Even with a careful timetable, things can go awry on exam day, so pack a spare pen.
Fun Fact
Readers who meet this word only in books sometimes say it to rhyme with story. It really rhymes with high, and the stress falls on the second part, not the first.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The science fair display went awrie when the glue melted under the hot lights.
a) awrie
b) melted
c) glue
d) display
Show answer
a) awrie. The slip is in the closing letters: this short word ends in a y, as sky and dry do.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
awrry
a) a
b) y
c) r
d) w
Show answer
c) r. Worry and hurry double their r, which tempts students to do the same here, but one is enough.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
awry
a) orderly
b) eager
c) amiss
d) steady
Show answer
c) amiss. Something amiss is not as it should be; orderly and steady point the opposite way, and eager is about feeling keen.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) nuisence
b) awry
c) rythm
d) yatch
Show answer
b) awry. Rhythm has an h after the r, yacht has ch before the t, and nuisance has an a in its last part.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these events has clearly gone awry?
a) The cake was kept cool until the guests came in.
b) The cake was baked a whole day before the party.
c) The cake was cut and shared among all the guests.
d) The cake sank in the middle just as the guests arrived.
Show answer
d) The cake sank in the middle just as the guests arrived.
2. Mira's school tie hung awry after the sack race. What should she do?
a) lengthen it
b) wash it
c) iron it
d) straighten it
Show answer
d) straighten it
