What does ponder mean?
Word: Ponder
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Ponder means to think about something carefully and for a long time.
Synonyms: consider, think over
How do you spell ponder?
Syllables: pon - der
Tricky part: The ending is soft and unclear when the word is said, so pupils who spell by sound often put or or ar there. It takes er.
Watch out for: pondar, pondor
Memory tip: Picture someone deep in thought, chin on hand, muttering "er, er, er". That is the sound and the spelling that finish the word.
Ponder in a sentence
Example 1: Grandfather likes to ponder his next chess move with his chin on his hand.
Example 2: She stopped to ponder the hardest question before she wrote anything down.
Example 3: Jonah sat by the lake and pondered what to draw for the art contest.
Fun Fact
Ponder comes from a Latin word meaning to weigh, so when you ponder an idea you are weighing it up in your mind.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
ponder
a) murmur
b) neglect
c) reflect
d) wander
Show answer
c) reflect. When you reflect on something, you turn it over quietly in your mind.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
dreopn
a) wonder
b) ponder
c) powder
d) pointer
Show answer
b) ponder. There is no w in the jumble, which rules out powder and wonder, and pointer needs an i and a t.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
p_n_er
a) i, d
b) o, t
c) u, d
d) o, d
Show answer
d) o, d. Say it aloud: the short o of pond is the vowel you hear, and a d comes straight after the n.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) ponder
b) remmember
c) whisper
d) discover
Show answer
b) remmember. Remember has a single m after the re at the start.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A person who ponders a hard choice is most likely to ____.
a) forget about it straight away
b) look at both sides slowly
c) pick one without looking
d) leave it to a friend at once
Show answer
b) look at both sides slowly
2. Which question would you really need to ponder?
a) which career you want one day
b) what your own name is
c) how many legs a dog has
d) what colour the sky is today
Show answer
a) which career you want one day
