Basic Details
Word: Coordinate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To organise the different parts of an activity, or the people in it, so that they work well together.
Synonyms: organise, arrange, harmonise, synchronise
Antonyms: disorganise
How to Spell Coordinate
Syllables: co - or - di - nate
Tricky part: There are two o's at the start, each said separately: co-or. The third syllable is di, and the word ends in -ate.
Watch out for: cordinate, coordenate, coordinat
Memory tip: Co means together, and ordinate is linked to order. To coordinate is to put things in order together: co + ordinate.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Dancers must coordinate their steps with the drumbeat.
Example 2: Babies cannot coordinate their hand movements well at first.
Example 3: The traffic lights are coordinated so that cars meet green signals one after another.
Fun Fact
As a noun, coordinates are the numbers that fix a place on a map or a graph. New Delhi lies at about 28.6 degrees north and 77.2 degrees east.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
coord_n_te
a) a, a
b) i, e
c) e, a
d) i, a
Show answer
d) i, a. The beat di has an i, and the word closes with -ate, like celebrate.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word coordinate as used in the sentence:
The class captains will coordinate the stalls at the school fete.
a) arrange
b) manage
c) organise
d) disorganise
Show answer
d) disorganise. Organise, arrange and manage mean putting things in order; disorganise means throwing them into confusion.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. supervise 2. synchronise 3. cordinate 4. delegate
a) make things happen at the same time
b) watch over people at work
c) give a task to someone else
d) organise parts so that they work well together
Show answer
d) organise parts so that they work well together. Coordinate needs two o's, co-or; the other three words are spelt correctly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. On a graph, the coordinates (3, 5) tell you ____.
a) the colour of a line
b) the title of the graph
c) the size of a shape
d) the position of a point
Show answer
d) the position of a point
2. Clothes that coordinate ____.
a) look good together
b) cost the same
c) are the same size
d) were bought together
Show answer
a) look good together
