Basic Details
Word: Hesitating
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Pausing or holding back because you are unsure; as an adjective, slow and uncertain, as in a hesitating voice.
Synonyms: pausing, wavering, faltering, uncertain
Antonyms: decisive, confident, eager
How to Spell Hesitating
Syllables: hes - i - tat - ing
Tricky part: The final e of hesitate is dropped before ing, and the t stays single. Students write hesitateing or hesitatting.
Watch out for: hesitateing, hesitatting, hesetating
Memory tip: Rub out the last e of hesitate and add ing. The a before the t is long, as in skating, so the t does not double.
Usage Examples
Example 1: After a few hesitating steps, the baby walked across the room.
Example 2: Stop hesitating and choose a book; the library closes in five minutes.
Example 3: She answered in a soft, hesitating voice.
Fun Fact
The um and er that people say while hesitating have a name: linguists call them filled pauses.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word hesitating as used in the sentence:
The new student stood hesitating at the classroom door, unsure whether to knock.
a) wavering
b) shouting
c) smiling
d) rushing
Show answer
a) wavering. Wavering means not able to decide, which is how the new student feels at the door.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Instead of hesitateing at the starting line, the young swimmer took a deep breath, dived into the cold water and finished the fifty-metre race in second place.
a) finished
b) breath
c) hesitateing
d) starting
Show answer
c) hesitateing. The e at the end of hesitate drops before ing, the same way make becomes making.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
There is no point ishtagniet now; the bus is already at the gate.
a) hesitating
b) irritating
c) agitating
d) imitating
Show answer
a) hesitating. Only hesitating uses the h, the s and the e among these letters.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does a hesitating driver at a busy crossing most likely do?
a) honk and overtake everyone
b) slow down, stop and start again
c) speed through without looking
d) park the car and walk away
Show answer
b) slow down, stop and start again
2. Which reply sounds hesitating?
a) Tuesday, of course; we had maths.
b) Definitely Tuesday, I checked today.
c) Um... I think it might be... Tuesday?
d) It is Tuesday, as the calendar says.
Show answer
c) Um... I think it might be... Tuesday?
