Basic Details
Word: Inflection
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A change in the form of a word to express tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case.
Synonyms: Modification, alteration
Antonyms: Stagnation, unchangeability
Idioms and Phrases
- Change of inflection: A noticeable change in tone or attitude. Example: "Her voice had a change of inflection when she spoke about her favourite book."
- Be careful of your inflection: A reminder to watch how you say something, as it can change the meaning. Example: "When giving compliments, be careful of your inflection so the person knows you are sincere."
Usage Examples
Example 1: In grammar, inflection helps us know whether a verb is in the past, present, or future tense.
Example 2: The inflection of the word 'cat' changes when we say 'cats' to indicate more than one.
Example 3: Learning about inflection is important for understanding how words change in different languages.
Fun Fact
Did you know that inflectional languages, like Latin or Russian, use endings and prefixes more frequently than English to indicate the grammatical function of words? This makes them quite different in structure and use!
Famous Quote
"The inflection of your voice is just as important as the words you choose." Unknown
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "inflection" mean?
a) A type of tree
b) A change in a word's form
c) A kind of animal
d) A mountain
Answer: b) A change in a word's form
2. Which of these is a synonym of "inflection"?
a) Modification
b) Celebration
c) Communication
d) Structure
Answer: a) Modification
3. Which word is an antonym of "inflection"?
a) Change
b) Stagnation
c) Adjustment
d) Variation
Answer: b) Stagnation
4. Which sentence uses "inflection" correctly?
a) Her inflection of the word made it sound interesting.
b) The tree needed inflection to grow.
c) Inflection is a type of dessert.
d) He inflection-ed the football into the net.
Answer: a) Her inflection of the word made it sound interesting.
5. What does "be careful of your inflection" mean?
a) Watch how you say something
b) Change your clothes
c) Increase your volume
d) Speak faster
Answer: a) Watch how you say something
