What does manipulation mean?
Word: Manipulation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Manipulation means controlling or influencing someone or something in a clever and often unfair way. It can also mean skilful handling of something with the hands.
Synonyms: control, influence, handling
How do you spell manipulation?
Syllables: ma - nip - u - la - tion
Tricky part: It keeps the vowels of manipulate, i then u: ma-nip-u-la-tion. Students often swap them and write manupulation.
Watch out for: manupulation, manipilation
Memory tip: Manipulation grows out of manipulate, so it keeps the same order of vowels in the middle: i first, then u.
Manipulation in a sentence
Example 1: The magician's quick manipulation of the cards fooled everyone.
Example 2: Spreading false news to win votes is a kind of manipulation.
Example 3: Learning the violin takes years of careful finger manipulation.
Fun Fact
Physiotherapists also use the word manipulation for moving a patient's joints and muscles with their hands to ease pain and stiffness.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Tally
Each misspelt word gets 3 marks. How many marks does the list get?
manipulasion, calculation, decoration, imaginasion, celebration
a) 6
b) 12
c) 9
d) 3
Show answer
a) 6. Manipulasion and imaginasion have -sion where -tion belongs, and 2 x 3 = 6.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with manipulation?
a) construction
b) tabulation
c) population
d) regulation
Show answer
a) construction. Construction ends in a short u before its shun sound, while regulation, tabulation and population share the -ation ending of manipulation.
Word Champ
Which of the statements are true?
1. Manipulation can mean skilful handling of something with the hands. 2. Population is the number of people living in a place. 3. Regulation is a kind of tropical fruit.
a) all three are true
b) only 2 and 3 are true
c) only 1 is true
d) only 1 and 2 are true
Show answer
d) only 1 and 2 are true. A regulation is an official rule, not a fruit, so the third statement is false.
Word Puzzle
Match the words in the two lists:
1. manipulation 2. hesitation 3. imitation a. a pause before you say or do something b. a copy of something real c. clever control of someone, often unfairly
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b. A copy is an imitation and a pause is a hesitation, so the clever, unfair control is manipulation.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is an example of manipulation?
a) a friend asking politely for help
b) a friend lying to get your lunch
c) a friend lending you a pencil
d) a friend thanking you for a gift
Show answer
b) a friend lying to get your lunch
2. Skilful manipulation of a puppet's strings makes the puppet ____.
a) grow larger and larger
b) change colour under the lights
c) fall in a heap on the stage
d) seem to move by itself
Show answer
d) seem to move by itself
