Basic Details
Word: Foundation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The solid base under a building; also the basic idea that something rests on, or an organisation that gives money for good causes.
Synonyms: base, groundwork, basis, footing
How to Spell Foundation
Syllables: foun - da - tion
Tricky part: Keep the ou of found. The ending is ation, not asion or ashun.
Watch out for: fondation, foundasion, fundation
Memory tip: You found something when you set it up on a firm base: found + ation, with the ou kept.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Workers dug the foundation for the new library before the rains.
Example 2: Good reading habits give a strong foundation for every subject.
Example 3: The foundation gave free school bags to children in the flood-hit villages.
Fun Fact
Foundation is also the name of a cream or powder put on the skin before other make-up, because it forms the base layer, just as a building's foundation does.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. accomodation 2. foundation 3. concentrasion 4. pronounciation
a) a place to stay or live
b) giving all your attention to one thing
c) the way a word is said
d) the solid base on which a building stands
Show answer
d) the solid base on which a building stands. Pronunciation drops the o of pronounce, accommodation has two m's and concentration ends in tion; foundation alone is right.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word foundation as used in the sentence:
Honesty is the foundation of any lasting friendship.
a) ending
b) basis
c) roof
d) decoration
Show answer
b) basis. A friendship rests on honesty, so honesty is its basis.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
f_und_tion
a) a, a
b) o, e
c) o, a
d) u, e
Show answer
c) o, a. Start from found, with its ou, and finish with ation.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A charitable foundation is ____.
a) the first lesson in a course
b) a group that funds good causes
c) the base of a large building
d) a kind of cream for the face
Show answer
b) a group that funds good causes
2. When builders lay the foundation of a house, they ____.
a) fit its windows and doors
b) build its base under the ground
c) paint its outer walls
d) fix the tiles on its roof
Show answer
b) build its base under the ground
