What does coupon mean?
Word: Coupon
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Coupon means a printed slip that lets you buy something for less, or get something free.
Synonyms: voucher
How do you spell coupon?
Syllables: cou - pon
Tricky part: The first part sounds like koo, and that sound is spelt ou. Many students write a plain u and end up with cupon.
Watch out for: cupon, koopon
Memory tip: A coupon is a promise from the shop, like an I O U. It reminds you that the O and the U sit together.
Coupon in a sentence
Example 1: Mum cut the coupon out of the newspaper and kept it in her purse.
Example 2: This coupon gives you a free pencil with every notebook.
Example 3: Keep this coupon safe until your next visit to the shop.
Fun Fact
The word is French and comes from couper, to cut. A coupon was a piece cut off, which is just what shoppers still do with scissors and a newspaper.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Probe
Find the misspelt word in the sentence and choose its meaning:
The shopkeeper at the new bookshop took my coupen and sold me the colouring book at half the usual price.
a) a book with outlines for children to fill in
b) a slip that takes some money off a bill
c) a person who owns or runs a small store
d) the amount of money that something costs
Show answer
b) a slip that takes some money off a bill. The vowel before the last letter is wrong in the misspelt word, which names what the child handed over.
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. courage 2. coupon 3. couple 4. coupling
a) 3241
b) 3412
c) 3421
d) 2341
Show answer
c) 3421. All four share cou. After coupl, e comes before i, and then coupon and courage follow.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) price : tag
b) coupon : discount
c) sale : bargin
d) wallet : money
Show answer
c) sale : bargin. A bargain has ai in its second part, and the misspelt pair has lost the a.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ou' pronounced differently?
a) soup
b) couple
c) coupon
d) group
Show answer
b) couple. Couple has the short sound of cup; the rest have the oo of moon.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A shopper hands in a coupon at the till. What is most likely to happen?
a) The shop closes early.
b) The goods are sent back.
c) The bill gets smaller.
d) The bill gets bigger.
Show answer
c) The bill gets smaller.
2. What should you usually check on a coupon before you use it?
a) the bus route
b) the weather report
c) the expiry date
d) the exam timetable
Show answer
c) the expiry date
