What does improvement mean?
Word: Improvement
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Improvement means a change that makes something better.
Synonyms: progress, betterment
How do you spell improvement?
Syllables: im - prove - ment
Tricky part: The e at the end of improve stays when the ending is added, even though you cannot hear it.
Watch out for: improovment, improvment, emprovement
Memory tip: The silent e of improve holds on tight with both hands, so it does not fall out when the word grows longer.
Improvement in a sentence
Example 1: There is a big improvement in your reading this month.
Example 2: The new road is an improvement on the old dusty track.
Example 3: Grandpa's health is showing steady improvement.
Fun Fact
The Japanese word kaizen means improvement. Car makers in Japan made it famous as the idea of small changes for the better every day.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
improve____
a) ment
b) munt
c) mant
d) mint
Show answer
a) ment. This ending turns many doing words into naming words: improve, improvement.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word: improvement
a) gain
b) growth
c) success
d) decline
Show answer
d) decline. A decline is a change for the worse; growth, success and gain are all good things.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
vemopetrnim
a) improvemetn
b) improvenemt
c) imporvement
d) improvement
Show answer
d) improvement. Spot improve in the letters first; the four letters left over make the ending.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Arjun's handwriting showed a clear inprovement by the end of term.
a) clear
b) handwriting
c) inprovement
d) showed
Show answer
c) inprovement. Im, not in, comes before the p: im-prove-ment.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which change would be an improvement in a noisy classroom?
a) everyone speaking more quietly
b) a radio playing in the corner
c) windows opened onto a busy road
d) chairs being dragged about
Show answer
a) everyone speaking more quietly
2. There was an improvement in the weather after lunch. What happened?
a) It stayed just the same.
b) It changed every hour.
c) It turned brighter and drier.
d) It turned darker and wetter.
Show answer
c) It turned brighter and drier.
