What does persistence mean?
Word: Persistence
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Persistence means the habit of carrying on firmly with something, or the fact of something lasting for a long time.
Synonyms: perseverance, tenacity
Antonyms: giving up, wavering
How do you spell persistence?
Syllables: per - sis - tence
Tricky part: The ending is ence, not ance, and the two sound the same when the word is said quickly.
Watch out for: persistance, persistense, persistince
Memory tip: Persistence works in silence: keep going quietly, and give both words the same ence ending, never ance.
Persistence in a sentence
Example 1: Through sheer persistence, the street dog won a place on our verandah.
Example 2: The scientist's persistence paid off after two hundred failed tests.
Example 3: The persistence of the rain kept the cricket match from starting till lunch.
Fun Fact
Persistence of vision is the name given to the way an image seems to stay on the eye for a split second; it was once used to explain why a flip book seems to move.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
Through ienperescts and teamwork, the climbers reached the summit before nightfall.
a) persistence
b) persistent
c) resistance
d) insistence
Show answer
a) persistence. The jumble has a c, three e's and a p, and persistence is the only option that uses them all.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to complete the word:
p_rs_stence
a) a, i
b) e, e
c) e, i
d) u, i
Show answer
c) e, i. Persist is the root: it starts per, and the vowel in sis is i.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly and one is misspelt. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. sincerity 2. persistence 3. courage 4. loyality
a) honesty in what you say and feel
b) the habit of carrying on firmly with a task
c) being faithful to a friend or a cause
d) the ability to face difficulty bravely
Show answer
c) being faithful to a friend or a cause. Loyalty is loyal + ty, with no i before the t.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word persistence as it is used in the sentence:
Ritu's persistence at the nets every evening finally earned her a place in the school team.
a) politeness
b) talent
c) determination
d) luck
Show answer
c) determination. Determination is the firm will to keep going, which is what Ritu showed.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Someone known for persistence is someone who ____.
a) keeps going until the job is done
b) gives up as soon as it gets hard
c) never asks anyone for any help
d) always finishes work before others
Show answer
a) keeps going until the job is done
2. Which saying best matches the idea of persistence?
a) Too many cooks spoil the broth.
b) Look before you leap.
c) Try, try and try again.
d) Every cloud has a silver lining.
Show answer
c) Try, try and try again.
