What does intervene mean?
Word: Intervene
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Intervene means to become involved in a situation, especially to stop a disagreement or to make things turn out better.
How do you spell intervene?
Syllables: in - ter - vene
Tricky part: The long ee sound at the end tempts pupils into ee or ea. Neither pair appears here: the sound comes from an e, then the n, then a silent e.
Watch out for: interveen, intervean, intervine
Memory tip: Picture the n at the end as a quarrel, with one e stepping in on each side of it.
Intervene in a sentence
Example 1: The hostel warden had to intervene when two roommates could not agree on a study timetable.
Example 2: Dad rarely intervenes in our arguments over the TV remote; he lets us sort them out.
Example 3: If the rain does not intervene, the final will finish by evening.
Fun Fact
The word is made from two Latin parts that together mean 'to come between', which is exactly where a person who intervenes ends up standing.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
_nt_rvene
a) e, e
b) e, a
c) i, e
d) i, a
Show answer
c) i, e. Both gaps sit in the opening part of the word, which is spelt just as it is in internet.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
When the argument over the cricket pitch grew loud, the coach decided to nreevneti.
a) intersect
b) interpret
c) interview
d) intervene
Show answer
d) intervene. Count the n's: the jumble has two, and only one option matches.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word intervene as used in the sentence:
The two neighbours could not agree about the fence, so an older resident of the street chose to intervene.
a) step in
b) stay away
c) look on
d) hold back
Show answer
a) step in. The older resident gets involved instead of leaving the neighbours to it.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning.
1. intervene 2. succede 3. persue 4. concieve
a) to follow something, or try to achieve it over a long time
b) to form an idea or plan in your mind
c) to come between people or events so as to change what happens
d) to manage to do what you set out to do
Show answer
c) to come between people or events so as to change what happens. Pursue opens with pur, succeed ends in eed, and conceive takes ei after the c.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Two friends begin shouting over a board game. Who intervenes?
a) Tara, who starts a game of her own
b) Riya, who calmly suggests they take turns
c) Sonu, who quietly slips out of the room
d) Ali, who carries on reading his comic
Show answer
b) Riya, who calmly suggests they take turns
2. In which situation would a referee most need to intervene?
a) two captains disputing a throw-in
b) a coach sipping water on the bench
c) fans singing loudly in the stands
d) a player tying a loose shoelace
Show answer
a) two captains disputing a throw-in
