Basic Details
Word: Occurrence
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Something that happens, or the fact of something happening or existing.
Synonyms: event, incident, happening
How to Spell Occurrence
Syllables: oc - cur - rence
Tricky part: Two c's and two r's, then ence, not ance. Students most often leave out one r.
Watch out for: occurence, ocurrence, occurrance
Memory tip: Occur doubles its r before ence because its beat is on cur: oc-CUR. Double c, double r, then ence.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Snow in Chennai would be a very strange occurrence.
Example 2: The teacher wrote down every occurrence of the word 'because' in my essay.
Example 3: Traffic jams near the school are an everyday occurrence.
Fun Fact
A total solar eclipse is a rare occurrence at any one place: on average a given spot on Earth sees one only once in a few hundred years.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Choose the letters that complete the word:
o_curr_nce
a) k, e
b) c, a
c) c, e
d) c, i
Show answer
c) c, e. Occur begins with two c's, and the ending is ence, as in difference.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt wrongly. Choose its meaning:
1. frequency 2. schedule 3. occurence 4. calendar
a) how often something happens
b) a plan listing when things will be done
c) something that happens
d) a chart of the days and months of a year
Show answer
c) something that happens. Occurence is missing an r; occur doubles it before ence.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word occurrence as used in the sentence:
The police are looking into a strange occurrence at the old railway station.
a) delay
b) event
c) invention
d) rarity
Show answer
b) event. Something strange happened at the station, and a thing that happens is an event.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is a rare occurrence in a desert?
a) clear skies
b) dry sand
c) hot sunshine
d) heavy rain
Show answer
d) heavy rain
2. Which of these is an everyday occurrence for most students?
a) going to school
b) meeting a king
c) flying a plane
d) seeing a comet
Show answer
a) going to school
