What does contrary mean?
Word: Contrary
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Contrary means completely different from something, or going against it, as in contrary to what we thought.
How do you spell contrary?
Syllables: con - tra - ry
Tricky part: The ending is ary, as in ordinary and library. Pupils often write ery or ory because the vowel is hardly heard.
Watch out for: contrery, controry
Memory tip: Think of a library: both words end with the same three letters, ary.
Contrary in a sentence
Example 1: Contrary to the weather report, the sun shone all day in Shillong.
Example 2: The two friends held contrary views about which team would win.
Example 3: Contrary to what I expected, the maths test was quite easy.
Fun Fact
In the old nursery rhyme that begins 'Mary, Mary, quite contrary', the word is said with the stress on its second part so that it rhymes with Mary.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The new results were contary to everything the science club had guessed.
a) results
b) guessed
c) contary
d) science
Show answer
c) contary. The first part is con and the second is tra, so an r follows the t.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
contrary
a) sudden
b) opposite
c) similar
d) hollow
Show answer
c) similar. Contrary ideas are very different; similar ideas are alike.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
rantycor
a) contrary
b) contrast
c) control
d) contract
Show answer
a) contrary. Contract needs a second c, contrast needs an s, and control needs an l.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) contrary
b) temporary
c) posible
d) ordinary
Show answer
c) posible. Possible has a double s in the middle.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. 'Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind.' What does this sentence tell us?
a) bats cannot see at all
b) nobody has studied bats
c) everyone knows bats are blind
d) many people believe something untrue
Show answer
d) many people believe something untrue
2. Two friends have contrary opinions about a film. What does this tell you?
a) they both loved it
b) they disagree about it
c) they watched it twice
d) they both fell asleep
Show answer
b) they disagree about it
