Basic Details
Word: Irresponsible
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Not thinking about what might happen because of your actions; not doing what you are supposed to do.
Synonyms: careless, reckless, thoughtless
Antonyms: responsible, reliable, dependable
How to Spell Irresponsible
Syllables: ir - re - spon - si - ble
Tricky part: The prefix ir is added to responsible, so you get two r's at the start. The ending is sible, not sable.
Watch out for: iresponsible, irresponsable, irrisponsible
Memory tip: Before a word that starts with r, the prefix in turns into ir, so the r doubles: irregular, irrelevant, irresponsible.
Usage Examples
Example 1: It is irresponsible to throw plastic bags into the river.
Example 2: The irresponsible driver jumped the red light near the school gate.
Example 3: Leaving all your homework for the last night of the holidays is irresponsible.
Fun Fact
Response and responsible both come from the Latin respondere, to answer; a responsible person is one who can answer for what they do.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the prefix that completes the word:
responsible
a) im
b) ir
c) in
d) il
Show answer
b) ir. Words beginning with r take ir, as in irregular.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
irresponsible
a) reckless
b) thoughtless
c) dependable
d) careless
Show answer
c) dependable. A dependable person does what they should; the other three describe someone irresponsible.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Leaving the tap running after brushing is irresponsable when the city is short of water.
a) Leaving
b) running
c) short
d) irresponsable
Show answer
d) irresponsable. Responsible ends in ible, the same as possible.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which act is irresponsible?
a) returning library books on time
b) locking the door at night
c) switching off fans when you leave
d) leaving the gas stove on and going out
Show answer
d) leaving the gas stove on and going out
2. A word close in meaning to irresponsible is ____.
a) careful
b) honest
c) careless
d) polite
Show answer
c) careless
