What does politeness mean?
Word: Politeness
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Politeness means good manners and a respectful way of speaking and behaving towards others.
Synonyms: courtesy, good manners, respect
Antonyms: impoliteness
How do you spell politeness?
Syllables: po - lite - ness
Tricky part: The silent e stays in the middle, so politness is a slip, and the end has a double s.
Watch out for: politness, politenes, pollitness
Memory tip: Good manners keep even the quiet things: the silent e stays in the middle, so politness is wrong.
Politeness in a sentence
Example 1: The shopkeeper's politeness won him loyal customers in the busy market.
Example 2: Saying thank you to the bus conductor is simple politeness.
Example 3: Her politeness never slipped, even when the caller was rude.
Fun Fact
Japanese has a whole system of polite speech, called keigo, with special word forms used when speaking to elders, teachers or customers.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word politeness as it is used in the sentence:
The guide's politeness made the long, hot tour of the fort much easier to bear.
a) kindness
b) gentleness
c) rudeness
d) warmth
Show answer
c) rudeness. Rudeness is bad manners; kindness, gentleness and warmth sit on the same side as politeness.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Even when the train was three hours late, the station master answered every question with politeness and patiance, and the tired passengers thanked him.
a) question
b) politeness
c) patiance
d) passengers
Show answer
c) patiance. Patient gives patience, so the ending is ence, not ance.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. considerite 2. gentelman 3. politeness 4. appologise
a) a man who is polite and behaves well
b) good manners and respect shown towards others
c) thinking about other people's feelings
d) to say that you are sorry for something
Show answer
b) good manners and respect shown towards others. Apologise has one p, gentleman puts the l before the e, and considerate ends in ate.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The esnsliotpe of the hotel staff made our family holiday in Munnar a pleasure.
a) loneliness
b) pointless
c) positives
d) politeness
Show answer
d) politeness. Loneliness has no p or t, pointless is a letter short and positives needs a v.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which action shows politeness?
a) pushing to the front of a queue
b) ignoring a greeting
c) talking while others speak
d) holding the door for someone
Show answer
d) holding the door for someone
2. Which is the most polite way to ask someone to repeat something?
a) I missed that, so repeat it.
b) What? Speak up, will you?
c) Say it again right now.
d) Sorry, could you say that again?
Show answer
d) Sorry, could you say that again?
