What does smattering mean?
Word: Smattering
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Smattering means a small amount of something, especially a little knowledge of a language.
Word origin: From a Middle English verb whose own origin is unknown.
How do you spell smattering?
Syllables: smat - ter - ing
Tricky part: The short a needs a doubled letter after it, and students who spell by sound write smatering.
Watch out for: smatering, smaterring, smattring
Memory tip: Batting, patting and smattering all protect a short a with two t letters.
Smattering in a sentence
Example 1: Dad has a smattering of Bengali from his years in Kolkata.
Example 2: There was only a smattering of visitors at the museum on Monday.
Example 3: She picked up a smattering of French from a phone app.
Fun Fact
Languages are not the only use: people also speak of a smattering of applause for very thin clapping, or a smattering of snow for a light dusting.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Probe
One word in the sentence is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word:
Tara's smattaring of Japanese helped her order noodles at a little cafe near the railway station in Kyoto.
a) long thin strips of cooked food
b) only a few scraps of a subject
c) a small place selling coffee and snacks
d) a place where trains stop for passengers
Show answer
b) only a few scraps of a subject. The slip is an a where the word needs an e, after the double t.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. smattering 2. dusk 3. ally a. opponent b. expert knowledge c. dawn
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
c) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. Dusk ends the day as dawn begins it, and an ally stands with you while an opponent stands against you.
Word Champ
Read the statements and choose the correct option:
1. A linguist studies languages. 2. A smattering of Tamil is enough to translate a long novel. 3. A glossary is a list of difficult words with explanations.
a) all three are true
b) only 1 and 3 are true
c) only 1 and 2 are true
d) only 2 is true
Show answer
b) only 1 and 3 are true. A long novel needs far more Tamil than a few phrases, so statement 2 fails.
Word Tally
You get 2 marks for each correctly spelt word in the list. How many marks will you score?
smattering, vocabluary, fluency, pronounciation, grammer, accent
a) 8
b) 4
c) 6
d) 10
Show answer
c) 6. Vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar are misspelt, leaving three correct words.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What can a traveller with a smattering of German manage?
a) saying hello and ordering a drink
b) teaching German at a university
c) writing poems in perfect German
d) reading long German poems with ease
Show answer
a) saying hello and ordering a drink
2. 'A smattering of guests had arrived by six.' How many guests were there?
a) every single one
b) none at all
c) about a hundred
d) just a few
Show answer
d) just a few
