What does pinafore mean?
Word: Pinafore
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Pinafore means a loose sleeveless dress or apron worn over other clothes.
How do you spell pinafore?
Syllables: pin - a - fore
Tricky part: The last part is spelt -fore. Pupils who go by sound alone may write pinafour or pinafor.
Watch out for: pinafour, pinafor
Memory tip: Fore means the front, and this garment covers your front, so let the meaning settle the ending.
Pinafore in a sentence
Example 1: Part of our uniform in Class 3 was a navy pinafore.
Example 2: My little sister wore a checked pinafore to the picnic.
Example 3: She hung her pinafore on the peg behind the door.
Fun Fact
H.M.S. Pinafore, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan first staged in London in 1878, is named after a ship, not a piece of clothing.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Probe
Fill the blanks with 'a' and 'o'. Which option gives the meaning of that word?
1. pin__f__re 2. j__ck__t 3. p__ll__ver 4. c__rd__gan
a) a knitted top that you pull on over your head
b) a knitted woollen top that buttons down the front
c) a light sleeveless layer, popular in school uniforms
d) a short coat that reaches down to the hips
Show answer
c) a light sleeveless layer, popular in school uniforms. Those letters complete only the sleeveless garment; cardigan takes a, i, pullover u, o and jacket a, e.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
rfniepao 12345678
a) 53841267
b) 64372815
c) 61423578
d) 27534816
Show answer
b) 64372815. That order spells the sleeveless garment.
Word Tally
You get 3 marks for each misspelt word you find in the list. How many marks do you get?
pinafore, blazer, sandels, trowsers, waistcoat
a) 12
b) 9
c) 6
d) 3
Show answer
c) 6. Sandals and trousers are the misspelt ones, so 2 x 3 = 6.
Sound Check
In which word is 'ore' pronounced differently?
a) forest
b) explore
c) adore
d) pinafore
Show answer
a) forest. In forest the o is short, as in hot; the others have the long sound of door.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why might a young child wear a pinafore at an art class?
a) to show which team she belongs to
b) to stay warm in the cold weather
c) to show that she is the class monitor
d) to keep paint off the clothes beneath
Show answer
d) to keep paint off the clothes beneath
2. What is usually worn under a pinafore dress?
a) a woollen overcoat
b) a long raincoat
c) a heavy blazer
d) a shirt or blouse
Show answer
d) a shirt or blouse
