What does extensive mean?
Word: Extensive
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Extensive means covering a large area or a wide range of things; large in amount.
Synonyms: wide, vast, broad, widespread
Antonyms: limited, narrow, small
How do you spell extensive?
Syllables: ex - ten - sive
Tricky part: The middle is s, not c: extencive is the slip, because the sound could be spelt either way.
Watch out for: extencive, exstensive, ekstensive
Memory tip: Extensive and extension are twins: both have an s where you might expect a c or a t.
Extensive in a sentence
Example 1: The floods caused extensive damage to crops in Assam.
Example 2: Our library has an extensive collection of comics.
Example 3: She did extensive research before writing her project on tigers.
Fun Fact
The Sundarbans, shared by India and Bangladesh, has the most extensive mangrove forest in the world, about 10,000 square kilometres.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word extensive as used in the sentence:
The new metro line will need extensive work on the roads above it.
a) large-scale
b) careful
c) noisy
d) urgent
Show answer
a) large-scale. Extensive work is large-scale work spread over a wide area.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Before writing her project on the tigers of Ranthambore, Kavya did extinsive reading in the school library and spoke to two forest officers during the holidays.
a) officers
b) library
c) project
d) extinsive
Show answer
d) extinsive. The second syllable is ten, with an e, as in the number ten.
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. fragile 2. nocturnal 3. timid 4. extensiv
a) easily broken or damaged
b) active at night
c) covering a large area or a wide range
d) shy and easily frightened
Show answer
c) covering a large area or a wide range. The word ends in ive with a final e, as in active, so extensiv is the misspelt one.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
The new park has an ventexsie network of cycle tracks along the river.
a) expensive
b) extensive
c) extension
d) intensive
Show answer
b) extensive. Expensive needs a p, extension an o and intensive an i, so a long network of tracks is extensive.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A library with an extensive collection has ____.
a) a very wide range of books
b) only the newest books
c) books in one language
d) a few rare books
Show answer
a) a very wide range of books
2. Extensive and extension both come from the verb ____.
a) extract
b) extend
c) extinct
d) expend
Show answer
b) extend
