What does indicate mean?
Word: Indicate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Indicate means to point something out, or to be a sign that something is true or is about to happen.
Synonyms: point out, signal
How do you spell indicate?
Syllables: in - di - cate
Tricky part: The second vowel is i, not e. It is said so quickly that it sounds weak, so children often write indecate.
Watch out for: indecate, indicat
Memory tip: Your index finger is the one you point with, and after the d both index and indicate take an i, not an e.
Indicate in a sentence
Example 1: The arrow on the map indicates where the exit is.
Example 2: Dark clouds over the hills usually indicate that rain is coming.
Example 3: Please indicate your answer by putting a tick in the box.
Fun Fact
The blinking lights a car uses before it turns are called indicators in India and Britain, while Americans usually call them turn signals.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) eliminete
b) indicate
c) comunicate
d) partisipate
Show answer
b) indicate. Comunicate is missing an m, eliminete has e where the a belongs and partisipate uses s for c. Indicate has no slip.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
indicate
a) forget
b) delay
c) show
d) conceal
Show answer
c) show. To indicate something is to show it or point it out.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
inndicate
a) n
b) c
c) a
d) d
Show answer
a) n. Take out the second n and the word reads in-di-cate again.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
indi_a_e
a) s, t
b) c, t
c) s, d
d) c, d
Show answer
b) c, t. The k sound is spelt with a c, and the word ends in ate, as in educate and locate.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A traffic policeman raises his palm towards the cars. What is he indicating?
a) that the cars should speed up
b) that the cars should turn left
c) that the cars should stop
d) that the cars should sound their horns
Show answer
c) that the cars should stop
2. The fuel needle in a car points at E. What does this indicate?
a) The tank is nearly empty.
b) The tank is completely full.
c) The engine is too hot.
d) The tank is half full.
Show answer
a) The tank is nearly empty.
