What does juxtaposition mean?
Word: Juxtaposition
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Juxtaposition means the placing of two things next to each other, often so that the difference between them stands out.
How do you spell juxtaposition?
Syllables: jux - ta - po - si - tion
Tricky part: The second syllable is spelt with an a, even though it is said quickly and can sound like 'to' or 'ti'. Juxtoposition is the usual slip.
Watch out for: juxtoposition, juxtiposition
Memory tip: When you practise, lean hard on the second syllable and say it 'tah', so its a does not slide into an o.
Juxtaposition in a sentence
Example 1: The juxtaposition of old palaces and glass towers is what makes the city's skyline so striking.
Example 2: Our art teacher pointed out the juxtaposition of bright and dull colours in the poster.
Example 3: The juxtaposition of the two photographs, one of a crowded market and one of an empty beach, said more than words.
Fun Fact
Photographers often use juxtaposition on purpose, for example placing a tiny figure beside a huge mountain so that viewers can feel the mountain's size.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
ju_tapos_tion
a) x, i
b) k, i
c) x, e
d) z, i
Show answer
a) x, i. The 'ks' sound is a single x, and a short i comes just before the -tion.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
juxtapposition
a) o
b) s
c) n
d) p
Show answer
d) p. Only one p sits between the a and the o.
Mingle-Mangle
Unscramble the jumbled word in the sentence and choose the correct word:
The painting's tixnispjoaout of a busy flyover and a quiet paddy field made viewers stop and look.
a) juxtaposition
b) composition
c) proposition
d) opposition
Show answer
a) juxtaposition. The j settles it: no other option contains one.
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. composition 2. analagy 3. juxtaposition 4. contrast
a) a clear difference between two things
b) the placing of things side by side
c) the way the parts of a picture are arranged
d) a comparison that explains one thing by showing how it is like another
Show answer
d) a comparison that explains one thing by showing how it is like another. Analogy has an o after the l; juxtaposition, contrast and composition are spelt correctly.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A film-maker creates a juxtaposition when she ____.
a) puts a shot of a noisy fair next to one of a silent desert
b) deletes all the blurry shots from her camera
c) adds her favourite song to the last scene
d) films one long scene of a clear blue sky
Show answer
a) puts a shot of a noisy fair next to one of a silent desert
2. The word juxtaposition comes up most in talk about ____.
a) art, writing and design
b) cricket scores and results
c) train times and fares
d) cooking and baking
Show answer
a) art, writing and design
