Basic Details
Word: Situation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: All the facts and conditions that exist at a certain time and place; also the position of a place.
Synonyms: circumstances, condition, state, position
How to Spell Situation
Syllables: sit - u - a - tion
Tricky part: Students drop the u after sit (sitation) or write the ending as -sion. Say it in four beats, sit-u-a-tion, and every beat is in the spelling.
Watch out for: situasion, sittuation, situtation
Memory tip: Situation is situate with its final e swapped for -ion: situate, then situat, then situation.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Stay calm in any difficult situation and think before you act.
Example 2: The traffic situation near the stadium gets worse on match days.
Example 3: Mum explained the situation to the bank manager over the phone.
Fun Fact
A situation comedy, or sitcom, is a TV series built around the same characters in everyday settings; the short form sitcom has been used since the 1960s.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. circumstanse 2. predicamant 3. emergancy 4. situation
a) a sudden dangerous event needing quick action
b) a fact or condition connected with an event
c) the set of things happening at a certain time and place
d) a difficult position that is hard to get out of
Show answer
c) the set of things happening at a certain time and place. Situation is the only correct word; the others need a c in circumstance, an e in predicament and an e in emergency.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word situation as used in the sentence:
The flood situation in Assam worsened after three days of heavy rain.
a) solution
b) decision
c) condition
d) celebration
Show answer
c) condition. The flood situation is the state or condition of the flood; nobody has found a solution yet.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
situeation
a) t
b) e
c) u
d) a
Show answer
b) e. The u is followed straight away by the a of -ation; there is no e anywhere in situation.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A tricky situation calls for ____.
a) fancy clothes
b) a long nap
c) careful thinking
d) loud music
Show answer
c) careful thinking
2. Which word is the adjective formed from situation?
a) situationary
b) situational
c) situative
d) situatious
Show answer
b) situational
