What does brief mean?
Word: Brief
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Short, lasting only a little time or using only a few words.
Synonyms: short, quick
Antonyms: long, lengthy
How do you spell brief?
Syllables: brief
Tricky part: It is i before e: b-r-i-e-f. Breif is the most common mistake, because ei and ie both look possible.
Watch out for: breif, breef, brif
Memory tip: Remember 'i before e except after c'. There is no c before the ie in brief, so the i comes first, as in chief and field.
Idioms and Phrases
- in brief: in a few words Example: "In brief, the picnic is cancelled because of rain."
Brief in a sentence
Example 1: Our teacher gave us a brief talk about road safety.
Example 2: We stopped for a brief rest at a roadside cafe.
Example 3: Keep your answer brief, just two or three lines.
Fun Fact
A briefcase gets its name from briefs, the short written papers that people once carried in it.
Practise the CREST Way
Sound Check
Which of the following words rhymes with the given word?
brief
a) brick
b) bright
c) chef
d) reef
Show answer
d) reef. Reef ends with the same 'eef' sound; chef looks similar but says 'ef'.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
The principal gave a brief speech, and then the first race startid.
a) only startid
b) only principal
c) speech and race
d) brief and startid
Show answer
a) only startid. Brief is right; started ends in -ed.
Word Champ
Which of the words cannot be made using the letters in the given word?
brief
a) rib
b) fir
c) beef
d) fire
Show answer
c) beef. Beef needs two e's, but brief has only one.
Spellacadabra
From which option does a letter need to be removed to make a meaningful word?
a) staff
b) cliff
c) brieff
d) dwarf
Show answer
c) brieff. Brief ends in a single f.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is most likely to be brief?
a) a full-day trip
b) a two-minute speech
c) a three-hour film
d) a week-long holiday
Show answer
b) a two-minute speech
2. Mum said, 'Just a brief stop at the shop.' How long will the stop be?
a) a whole week
b) only a few minutes
c) until dinner time
d) most of the day
Show answer
b) only a few minutes
