Basic Details
Word: Intelligible
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Clear enough to be understood.
Synonyms: clear, understandable, comprehensible, lucid
Antonyms: unintelligible, incomprehensible, unclear
How to Spell Intelligible
Syllables: in - tel - li - gi - ble
Tricky part: It ends in -gible, not -gable, and has a double l like intelligent. The g sounds like j but is still a g.
Watch out for: intelligable, inteligible, intelligeble
Memory tip: Intelligible starts like intelligent and ends like legible and eligible. A soft g followed by -ible is the usual pattern in these words.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The phone line was so bad that only half her words were intelligible.
Example 2: Write your answer in short, intelligible sentences.
Example 3: The parrot's speech was barely intelligible, but we laughed anyway.
Fun Fact
Some languages are mutually intelligible, which means speakers of each can understand the other without lessons. Hindi and Urdu are a well-known example in everyday speech.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to intelligible as used in the sentence:
Through the crackle of the old radio, the news was barely intelligible.
a) unclear
b) audible
c) clear
d) loud
Show answer
a) unclear. Clear means much the same as intelligible; unclear is its opposite.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. intelligable 2. eligible 3. visible 4. legible
a) clear enough to be understood
b) allowed or qualified to do something
c) neat enough to read, used of handwriting
d) able to be seen
Show answer
a) clear enough to be understood. Legible and eligible show the pattern: after a soft g comes -ible, so intelligable is wrong.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to complete the word:
inte_li_ible
a) l, d
b) l, j
c) i, g
d) l, g
Show answer
d) l, g. Like intelligent, it doubles the l, and the soft sound after li is written with g, never j.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A message that is intelligible is one you can ____.
a) make sense of
b) hear but not understand
c) only guess at
d) not follow at all
Show answer
a) make sense of
2. Which of these is most likely to be unintelligible?
a) a mumbled reply through a thick mask
b) a neat note in plain words
c) a clear answer read out slowly
d) a printed sign in large letters
Show answer
a) a mumbled reply through a thick mask
