Basic Details
Word: Purpose
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The reason why something is done or made, or the aim someone has in mind.
Synonyms: aim, goal, reason, intention
How to Spell Purpose
Syllables: pur - pose
Tricky part: Both halves start with p: pur and pose. Students write per for the first part or leave off the final e.
Watch out for: perpose, purpos, purpuse
Memory tip: Picture a cat that purrs and then poses for a photo: pur + pose.
Idioms and Phrases
- on purpose: deliberately, not by accident Example: "He left the gate open on purpose so the calf could reach the water."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The purpose of the meeting was to plan Sports Day.
Example 2: A compass has one purpose: to show direction.
Example 3: She studied every evening with a clear purpose in mind.
Fun Fact
Purpose and propose are close relatives: both come from Old French words meaning to put forward.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word 'purpose' as used in the sentence:
The main purpose of our trip to the planetarium was to learn about the solar system.
a) aim
b) distance
c) cost
d) result
Show answer
a) aim. A purpose is what you aim for before you start, not the result you get at the end.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct letters to form a word:
p_rp_se
a) u, o
b) e, o
c) u, u
d) e, u
Show answer
a) u, o. The first half is pur, not per, and the second half is the word pose.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
Ravi insisted he had not broken the vase on sopupre; the ball had bounced off the wall.
a) purpose
b) suppose
c) porpoise
d) pursue
Show answer
a) purpose. Porpoise needs an extra o and an i, pursue is too short, and suppose has no r.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A tool that serves its purpose ____.
a) breaks on the very first day
b) looks pretty but is useless
c) does the job it was made for
d) costs too much to buy
Show answer
c) does the job it was made for
2. A purposeful walk is one that is ____.
a) slow and aimless
b) determined and with a clear aim
c) taken while asleep
d) always in circles
Show answer
b) determined and with a clear aim
