Basic Details
Word: Saleswoman
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A woman whose job is to sell goods or services, in a shop or by meeting customers.
Synonyms: salesperson, sales assistant, shop assistant
How to Spell Saleswoman
Syllables: sales - wom - an
Tricky part: Students drop the s of sales and write salewoman, or spell the second part like it sounds, saleswomun. The word is simply sales joined to woman.
Watch out for: salewoman, sailswoman, saleswomun
Memory tip: She makes sales, so the word starts with the whole of sales, s and all. Then write woman exactly as you would on its own.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The saleswoman at the bookshop found the last copy of the novel in the storeroom.
Example 2: My aunt worked as a saleswoman for a company that sells water purifiers door to door.
Example 3: A polite saleswoman explained the difference between the two washing machines without hurrying us.
Fun Fact
The plural is saleswomen. Oddly, the spelling changes in the last vowel (a to e) while the bigger change in sound is in the first one: woman is said WUU-mun, but women is said WIM-in.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these compound words is spelt correctly. Choose it:
a) newsreeder
b) saleswoman
c) policewomun
d) gatekiper
Show answer
b) saleswoman. Policewoman keeps the a of woman, a newsreader reads with ea, and a gatekeeper keeps with ee.
Word Connection
Pick the word closest in meaning to saleswoman as used in this sentence:
At the saree shop in Chandni Chowk, the saleswoman unfolded twenty silks before we chose one.
a) customer
b) tailor
c) weaver
d) sales assistant
Show answer
d) sales assistant. She works in the shop helping buyers, which is what a sales assistant does; the customer is the one buying.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence hides a jumbled word. Unjumble it and choose the word:
The wnslaoemsa at the counter wrapped my brother's gift in shiny paper.
a) washerwoman
b) saleswomen
c) saleswoman
d) salesman
Show answer
c) saleswoman. The jumble has two a's and only one e, so it cannot be saleswomen, and salesman has no w or o.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A saleswoman is mainly paid to ____.
a) teach young children
b) sell goods or services
c) repair broken machines
d) cook meals for guests
Show answer
b) sell goods or services
2. Where would you most likely meet a saleswoman at work?
a) out on a cricket pitch
b) in the driver's seat of a bus
c) behind a shop counter
d) inside an operation theatre
Show answer
c) behind a shop counter
