What does pennant mean?
Word: Pennant
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Pennant means a long, narrow, pointed flag, often flown on a ship.
How do you spell pennant?
Syllables: pen - nant
Tricky part: The double n in the middle is easy to lose in speech, so pupils write penant.
Watch out for: penant, pennat
Memory tip: Picture two n's standing side by side like a pair of flagpoles, each ready to carry a flag.
Pennant in a sentence
Example 1: A red pennant fluttered from the top of the mast.
Example 2: Each house at our school carries its own pennant on sports day.
Example 3: The sailing club raised a blue pennant to mark the start of the race.
Fun Fact
The international code used at sea includes ten numbered pennants, one for each digit from 0 to 9, so that ships can spell out figures from a distance.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
p_nn_nt
a) e, e
b) a, a
c) a, e
d) e, a
Show answer
d) e, a. Ten supplies the first vowel, and the weak one that follows is spelt as in giant.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
anntpen
a) pendant
b) pennant
c) peasant
d) tenant
Show answer
b) pennant. Pendant comes closest, yet the jumble holds no d.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) committee
b) pennant
c) occurence
d) embarrass
Show answer
c) occurence. Occurrence has a double r as well as a double c.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
After the regatta, the winning crew took thier prize to the clubhouse and hung the pennant above the door.
a) pennant
b) regatta
c) crew
d) thier
Show answer
d) thier. Their has its e before the i.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. At sea, a captain might use a pennant to ____.
a) measure the depth of water
b) send a signal to another boat
c) steer through a narrow channel
d) keep the sails dry in rain
Show answer
b) send a signal to another boat
2. On a still day with no wind, a pennant on a mast will ____.
a) stream straight out sideways
b) hang limp against its pole
c) flap loudly all day long
d) spin round in fast circles
Show answer
b) hang limp against its pole
