What does barrier mean?
Word: Barrier
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Barrier means a fence, gate, wall or other object placed in the way so that people or things cannot get through. It can also be anything that keeps people apart, such as a language barrier.
How do you spell barrier?
Syllables: bar - ri - er
Tricky part: The ending is -ier. The last part is said so lightly that pupils often write -ear or -ior instead, giving barrear or barrior.
Watch out for: barrear, barrior
Memory tip: Picture the man at the ticket gate calling "I Expect Rain" as the barrier swings down: the first letters of his words, i, e and r, close the word.
Barrier in a sentence
Example 1: The barrier at the railway crossing came down, and the scooters waited in a long line.
Example 2: Ravi felt shy in his new school in Chennai, but the language barrier faded once he learnt some Tamil.
Example 3: A row of tall trees along the beach acts as a barrier against strong sea winds.
Fun Fact
The Great Barrier Reef off Australia is called a barrier reef because it runs alongside the coast with a stretch of calmer water in between, like a wall out at sea.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) premier
b) frontier
c) courier
d) barier
Show answer
d) barier. Frontier, courier and premier are correct; the word for a gate across a road needs two r in the middle.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
ribrear
a) a person whose job is to cut and style hair
b) a large round container for storing liquids such as oil
c) an object that blocks movement from one side to the other
d) a small hill of sand near the sea
Show answer
c) an object that blocks movement from one side to the other. The letters make barrier; barber and barrel look similar but use different letters.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with the word closest in meaning:
1. sturdy 2. barrier 3. weary a. tired b. obstacle c. strong
a) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a. Something sturdy is strong, a barrier is an obstacle in your way, and a weary person is tired.
Word Tally
You get 3 marks for each correctly spelt word in the list. How many marks do you get?
barrier, ceiling, neccessary, rhythm, seperate
a) 6
b) 12
c) 15
d) 9
Show answer
d) 9. Three words are right (barrier, ceiling, rhythm); necessary has one c and separate has -par-, so 3 x 3 = 9.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. On a busy road, what would work as a barrier?
a) a row of metal railings along the edge
b) a streetlight at the corner
c) a painted arrow on the road
d) a signboard showing the speed limit
Show answer
a) a row of metal railings along the edge
2. A turnstile at a metro station works as a barrier because it...
a) shows the times of the next trains
b) sells snacks and water to travellers
c) keeps the platform floor clean
d) stops people passing until they show a ticket
Show answer
d) stops people passing until they show a ticket
