Spell Bee Word: often

Basic Details

Word: Often

Part of Speech: Adverb

Meaning: Many times; frequently.

Synonyms: frequently, regularly, repeatedly

Antonyms: rarely, seldom, never

How to Spell Often

Syllables: of - ten

Tricky part: There is one f and a t that many people do not say. The ending is ten, not tan or en.

Watch out for: ofen, offen, oftan

Memory tip: Often hides the number ten: of + ten. Ask 'Out of ten days, how often did it rain?'

Idioms and Phrases

1. every so often: Sometimes, but not regularly. Example: "Every so often we visit my grandmother in Pune."
2. more often than not: Usually; in most cases. Example: "More often than not, the 8.15 bus is late."

Usage Examples

Example 1: How often do you water the tulsi plant?

Example 2: It often rains in Cherrapunji.

Example 3: We often play badminton after school.

Fun Fact

Both off-en and off-ten are correct ways to say it. The t was silent for centuries, and many speakers have started saying it again because they see it in the spelling.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Connection

Choose the antonym of the word often as it is used in the sentence:

My grandfather often tells us stories about his village near Shimla.

a) frequently
b) seldom
c) regularly
d) repeatedly

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the meaning of the only misspelt word:

1. occasionally 2. ofen 3. eventually 4. immediately

a) at once, without delay
b) in the end, after a long time
c) sometimes but not regularly
d) many times; frequently

Word Cookie

Find the extra letter in the word:

offten

a) f
b) n
c) t
d) o

Multiple Choice Questions

1. 'How often do you clean your room?' asks about ____.

a) the time it takes
b) the number of times
c) who cleans it
d) the size of the room

2. Which word can replace often in: We often eat out on Sundays?

a) frequently
b) once
c) hardly
d) never