What does rapport mean?
Word: Rapport
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Rapport means a warm understanding between people who get on well and feel at ease together.
Synonyms: bond, harmony
How do you spell rapport?
Syllables: rap - port
Tricky part: The final t is written but never said, because the word still keeps its French sound. Pupils who spell by ear stop one letter short.
Watch out for: rappor, rapporte
Memory tip: Two friends with a good rapport need not say everything out loud, and neither does this word: its last letter stays unspoken.
Rapport in a sentence
Example 1: Our class teacher has a wonderful rapport with the youngest pupils.
Example 2: The two batsmen built a rapport that showed in their running between the wickets.
Example 3: It took a few weeks for me to develop a rapport with my new maths tutor.
Fun Fact
In French the same word can also mean an account or report of something, a sense that modern English does not use.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Choose the letters that complete the word:
ra_po_t
a) b, r
b) p, r
c) t, r
d) p, t
Show answer
b) p, r. A consonant is doubled after the opening vowel, and the second gap holds the letter you barely hear in British speech.
Mingle-Mangle
Unscramble the jumbled word in the sentence and choose the correct word:
Good storytellers build a strong rtpprao with their young listeners within minutes.
a) export
b) support
c) report
d) rapport
Show answer
d) rapport. Storytellers build a bond with listeners, and the scramble spells only the word for that bond.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word rapport as used in the sentence:
Within a month the new games teacher had a good rapport with the whole team.
a) friendship
b) closeness
c) affinity
d) hostility
Show answer
d) hostility. The other three words describe people drawn together; this one describes people set against each other.
Spell-o-Spell
Three words in the list are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word.
1. trust 2. empathy 3. rappurt 4. companionship
a) the power to share how another person feels
b) the pleasant feeling of having someone with you
c) the belief that someone is honest and reliable
d) the ease and warmth between two people who click
Show answer
d) the ease and warmth between two people who click. The vowel in the second syllable is the o of sport, not a u.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which sign shows that a teacher has rapport with a class?
a) pupils leave on the bell
b) pupils speak to her freely
c) pupils sit in straight rows
d) pupils copy from the board
Show answer
b) pupils speak to her freely
2. What usually helps a new coach to build rapport?
a) printing a longer rule book
b) listening to each player
c) reaching the ground before anyone
d) changing the colour of the kit
Show answer
b) listening to each player
