What does invaluable mean?
Word: Invaluable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Invaluable means extremely useful or helpful, far beyond what can be measured.
How do you spell invaluable?
Syllables: in - val - u - a - ble
Tricky part: Value loses its final e before able, so a spelling that keeps it is wrong.
Watch out for: invalueable, invalueble, invaluble
Memory tip: Think of a crowded bus: when able climbs on, the e of value is left behind at the stop.
Invaluable in a sentence
Example 1: Her notes were invaluable when we revised for the test.
Example 2: Volunteers gave invaluable help on Sports Day.
Example 3: The local guide's knowledge of the forest trails was invaluable.
Fun Fact
Invaluable looks as if it should mean of no value, yet it means the opposite. Inflammable plays the same trick: it means the same as flammable, not fireproof.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
innvaluable
a) n
b) v
c) l
d) b
Show answer
a) n. The word opens with a plain in, not a doubled n.
Mingle-Mangle
Rearrange the jumbled letters in the sentence to form the right word:
Her grandmother's old recipe notebook proved nblvilaeau when she opened her own cafe.
a) invariable
b) inseparable
c) invaluable
d) unavailable
Show answer
c) invaluable. Unavailable needs a third a, inseparable an s and invariable an r.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word invaluable as used in the sentence:
Dadaji's advice proved invaluable during my opening week at the new school.
a) treasured
b) priceless
c) precious
d) worthless
Show answer
d) worthless. Priceless, precious and treasured all praise the advice; worthless says it was no use.
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. reliable 2. invaluable 3. remarkable 4. inevitible
a) unusual in a way that surprises people
b) of great worth because of how much it helps
c) able to be trusted
d) certain to happen and impossible to avoid
Show answer
d) certain to happen and impossible to avoid. Inevitable has an a before its ble.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Someone calls a guidebook invaluable. What are they saying about it?
a) it went missing during the trip
b) it cost them nothing at the shop
c) it helped them a great deal on the trip
d) it was of no use to them at all
Show answer
c) it helped them a great deal on the trip
2. Which sentence uses invaluable in its true sense?
a) This invaluable pencil cost only five rupees.
b) The film was invaluable, so we left early.
c) The extra helper was invaluable during exam week.
d) The broken pen was invaluable, so we threw it away.
Show answer
c) The extra helper was invaluable during exam week.
