What does moratorium mean?
Word: Moratorium
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Moratorium means an official decision to stop an activity, at least for a while.
How do you spell moratorium?
Syllables: mor - a - to - ri - um
Tricky part: Students tend to spell the close as they hear it, with a or e in place of the i and u: moratoriam, moratoreum.
Watch out for: moratoriam, moratoreum, moratorum
Memory tip: Think of the auditorium in your school. A moratorium closes with the same three letters.
Moratorium in a sentence
Example 1: The council announced a moratorium on cutting trees along the lake.
Example 2: Fishing boats stay in harbour during the monsoon moratorium.
Example 3: The city placed a one-year moratorium on new hoardings near the old market.
Fun Fact
The word comes from a Latin word meaning delaying, and a loan moratorium is still a period when repayments are allowed to wait.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
moratorium
a) continuation
b) suspension
c) permission
d) celebration
Show answer
b) suspension. A suspension halts something for a time, and that is what this decision does.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
m_rat_rium
a) a,o
b) o,a
c) u,o
d) o,o
Show answer
d) o,o. Both gaps hold an o, though only the second is said as the long sound in more.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
ruomitoram
a) auditorium
b) moratorium
c) motivation
d) moderator
Show answer
b) moratorium. Look for the two m's: only one option has them.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) moratorium
b) ammendment
c) parliment
d) referendom
Show answer
a) moratorium. Amendment has one m, a referendum ends in um, and parliament keeps an a after the i.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which headline describes a moratorium?
a) City hires more workers for its factory
b) City wins a prize for factory design
c) City opens a new factory this week
d) City pauses new factory permits for a year
Show answer
d) City pauses new factory permits for a year
2. A moratorium differs from a permanent ban because it ____.
a) cannot be made public
b) needs no official decision
c) covers only one person
d) is meant to last only for a time
Show answer
d) is meant to last only for a time
