What does receptive mean?
Word: Receptive
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Receptive means ready to listen to new ideas and give them fair thought.
How do you spell receptive?
Syllables: re - cep - tive
Tricky part: The s sound in the middle is spelt with a c, so pupils who write what they hear go wrong there.
Watch out for: reseptive, resseptive, receptiv
Memory tip: A ceiling and a cereal box both begin with this same soft c: it says s and looks nothing like it.
Receptive in a sentence
Example 1: Our grandfather is surprisingly receptive to new phone apps.
Example 2: Young children are very receptive to new languages.
Example 3: A receptive audience makes even a shy speaker feel at ease.
Fun Fact
Language teachers talk about your receptive vocabulary, meaning the words you understand when you read or hear them. It is usually much larger than the set of words you actually use.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
r_cept_ve
a) i, e
b) i, i
c) e, e
d) e, i
Show answer
d) e, i. The word opens with re, and the ending is ive.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The new sports teacher was recepptive when the pupils asked for a girls' football team and a longer lunch break.
a) longer
b) recepptive
c) football
d) sports
Show answer
b) recepptive. One p is all this word needs.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
The new principal is rceietevp to suggestions from the student council.
a) perceptive
b) receptive
c) respective
d) deceptive
Show answer
b) receptive. Three e's and one p with no d or s: perceptive has two p's and respective an s, and deceptive has a d.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word receptive as used in the sentence:
Most parents were receptive to the plan for a shorter school day.
a) resistant
b) willing
c) responsive
d) open
Show answer
a) resistant. People who are resistant push back against an idea.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Priya suggests a change to the class timetable. Which teacher's reply is the most receptive?
a) There is no time for this today.
b) Interesting, tell me more about it.
c) Please just follow the timetable.
d) We have always done it this way.
Show answer
b) Interesting, tell me more about it.
2. Why do speakers enjoy a receptive audience?
a) Its members check their watches every minute
b) Its members talk among themselves all along
c) Its members leave quietly before the end
d) Its members take in what is being said
Show answer
d) Its members take in what is being said
