What does elocution mean?
Word: Elocution
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Elocution means the skill of speaking clearly and correctly, especially in public.
How do you spell elocution?
Syllables: el - o - cu - tion
Tricky part: Pupils think of election or electric and put e after the l. The vowel here is o.
Watch out for: elecution, ellocution
Memory tip: Round your lips as you would in a speech lesson: that round shape is the o after the l.
Elocution in a sentence
Example 1: Her elocution improved after a year of reading poems aloud.
Example 2: Many Indian schools hold an elocution competition in both Hindi and English.
Example 3: The actor took elocution lessons to prepare for the stage.
Fun Fact
The Latin verb behind it meant to speak out, and English took the adjective eloquent from the same source.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
One word in this sentence is misspelt. Find it:
The junior section of the inter-school elocusion contest drew more than eighty eager young speakers to our town last weekend.
a) elocusion
b) section
c) speakers
d) contest
Show answer
a) elocusion. It finishes in tion, the usual spelling of this sound.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word:
Mrs Rao's icoeontul class on Saturdays has helped many shy pupils speak up.
a) education
b) elocution
c) elevation
d) evolution
Show answer
b) elocution. There is no v and no a in the jumble.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to elocution as used in the sentence:
The newsreader's flawless elocution won her many admirers.
a) grammar
b) diction
c) posture
d) memory
Show answer
b) diction. The sentence is about how she says her words.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. elocution 2. articulete 3. pronounciation 4. audiance
a) the way a word is said aloud
b) the people who watch or listen to a show
c) able to express ideas in words
d) the craft of saying every word clearly
Show answer
d) the craft of saying every word clearly. Articulate finishes in ate, pronunciation drops the o of pronounce, and audience finishes in ence.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A student wins the elocution prize. Which talent did the judges reward?
a) the delivery of her chosen poem
b) the speed of her mental sums
c) the neatness of her handwriting
d) the quality of her drawing
Show answer
a) the delivery of her chosen poem
2. What would an elocution teacher most likely correct?
a) mumbled word endings
b) wrong dates in history
c) untidy page margins
d) missing labels on maps
Show answer
a) mumbled word endings
