Basic Details
Word: Construction
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The work of building something such as a road or a house; also, something that has been built, or the way words are put together.
Synonyms: building, assembly, structure
Antonyms: demolition, destruction
How to Spell Construction
Syllables: con - struc - tion
Tricky part: After struc comes -tion; the sh sound is spelt ti, not sh or si. Keep the r: constuction is a common slip.
Watch out for: constuction, contruction, constructon, construcsion
Memory tip: Construction and destruction rhyme and share -struction; only the front changes. De- pulls down, con- puts together.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The construction of the new stadium will take three years.
Example 2: Workers on construction sites must wear helmets.
Example 3: This doll's house is a fine construction of wood and glue.
Fun Fact
Bricks from many Harappan sites follow the same size ratio of about 1 : 2 : 4 for thickness, width and length, which suggests builders across a wide area followed shared standards.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix -ion to form a real noun. Choose it:
ion
a) shape
b) construct
c) build
d) raise
Show answer
b) construct. Construct + ion gives construction; build, raise and shape form their nouns in other ways, or not at all.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. construction 2. architecure 3. foundaition 4. scafolding
a) the art of designing buildings
b) the solid base under a building
c) a frame of poles and planks used by builders
d) the work of building something
Show answer
d) the work of building something. Scaffolding has two f's, foundation has no i after a and architecture has a t before ure.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Work on the metro line is moving slowly because the constuction company ran short of cement during the monsoon.
a) company
b) constuction
c) cement
d) monsoon
Show answer
b) constuction. Construction keeps the str of structure; this version has lost its r.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A road 'under construction' is ____.
a) full of traffic
b) being built
c) badly lit
d) closed for ever
Show answer
b) being built
2. In grammar, 'construction' refers to ____.
a) the length of a paragraph
b) the size of the letters
c) the way words are arranged in a sentence
d) the number of pages
Show answer
c) the way words are arranged in a sentence
