What does encore mean?
Word: Encore
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Encore means an extra song or piece that a performer gives at the end of a show because the audience asks for more.
Word origin: Borrowed from French encore.
How do you spell encore?
Syllables: en - core
Tricky part: The word is said with an ong or ahn sound at the start, so students who spell by ear write oncore or ancore. It begins with en.
Watch out for: oncore, ancore
Memory tip: An encore comes at the end of a show, and the word begins with the same two letters as end.
Encore in a sentence
Example 1: The crowd clapped and cheered until the tabla player came back on stage for an encore.
Example 2: Our school choir had practised an encore, just in case the audience asked for one.
Example 3: For her encore, the singer chose a short Tamil lullaby that everyone knew.
Fun Fact
English audiences often shout encore to ask for more, while French audiences are more likely to call out bis.
Practise the CREST Way
Back to the Roots
Choose the correct option:
Encore comes from French, where it means ___.
a) finished
b) again
c) louder
d) bravo
Show answer
b) again. In French, encore means again or still, which is just what the audience wants.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
When the sitar recital ended, the audience in the packed auditorium rose to their feet and called for an encor, so the musician returned for one last raga.
a) only recital
b) only encor
c) encor and auditorium
d) recital and auditorium
Show answer
b) only encor. Encore keeps its final e, and the sentence holds no other slip.
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. encore 2. interval 3. finale a. the planned closing section of a show b. a short break in the middle of a show c. a return to the stage at the request of the crowd
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
d) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
Show answer
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a. An encore is extra, an interval is a pause in the middle and a finale is the closing part.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. An encore is usually asked for by the audience. 2. An encore is always performed before the main show begins. 3. A conductor leads an orchestra with movements of the hands.
a) both 1 and 3 are true
b) all three are true
c) only 1 is true
d) only 2 is true
Show answer
a) both 1 and 3 are true. An encore comes after the show, so statement 2 is false; statements 1 and 3 are correct.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A magician who gets an encore has most likely ___.
a) forgotten one of the tricks
b) arrived late for the show
c) pleased the audience a great deal
d) asked the audience to leave
Show answer
c) pleased the audience a great deal
2. The stage word that reached English from French, just as encore did, is ___.
a) solo
b) opera
c) karaoke
d) ballet
Show answer
d) ballet
