What does certify mean?
Word: Certify
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Certify means to state officially, often in writing, that something is true or that someone has reached a required standard.
Synonyms: guarantee
How do you spell certify?
Syllables: cer - ti - fy
Tricky part: The word opens with an s sound, but it is spelt with a c. Pupils who go by sound write sertify.
Watch out for: sertify, sirtify
Memory tip: Begin with a soft c, the c that sounds like s in city and cinema; certify belongs with them, not with words like serve.
Certify in a sentence
Example 1: The swimming coach will certify that Aarav can swim fifty metres on his own.
Example 2: Engineers must certify that the new bridge is safe before buses can use it.
Example 3: Only the principal can certify our marks before they go to the board.
Fun Fact
Certify comes, through French, from Latin certus, sure, the same root that gives English the word certain.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
certify
a) ignore
b) question
c) confirm
d) request
Show answer
c) confirm. To confirm something is to say firmly that it is true, which is what certifying does.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
certiffy
a) r
b) t
c) f
d) y
Show answer
c) f. The ending fy takes a single f, and it never doubles.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The judges will certefy the results once every score has been checked twice.
a) judges
b) results
c) checked
d) certefy
Show answer
d) certefy. The vowel before fy is i, as in qualify and simplify.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) certify
b) ocurr
c) apreciate
d) recomend
Show answer
a) certify. Each of the others has its double letter wrong: recommend needs mm, appreciate pp, and occur cc with one r.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. When a lab certifies that a helmet is safe, the helmet has ____.
a) been painted a bright colour
b) been sold at a lower price
c) passed the official tests
d) been made by hand
Show answer
c) passed the official tests
2. Who would you ask to certify a copy of your birth record?
a) a government officer
b) your best friend
c) a shop assistant
d) a bus conductor
Show answer
a) a government officer
