What does somehow mean?
Word: Somehow
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: Somehow means in a way that is not clear or known.
How do you spell somehow?
Syllables: some - how
Tricky part: The first vowel sounds like the u in cup, so pupils are tempted to start the word with su. It is an o.
Watch out for: sumehow, samehow
Memory tip: Imagine the o near the start dressed up as a u: it sounds like one, but it is still an o.
Idioms and Phrases
- somehow or other: in a way that nobody has worked out yet. Example: "Somehow or other we will reach the station on time."
Somehow in a sentence
Example 1: Somehow the kitten climbed on to the top shelf.
Example 2: We will finish the project somehow, even if it takes all evening.
Example 3: Somehow Dev always finds his lost pencil in the same pocket.
Fun Fact
The two o's in somehow do not sound alike at all: one is soft and short, and the other sits inside a long gliding sound.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
som_ho_
a) i, w
b) e, w
c) a, w
d) e, u
Show answer
b) e, w. A quiet vowel sits in the middle, and the last sound is spelt as in cow.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
sommehow
a) h
b) m
c) w
d) e
Show answer
b) m. One m is all that this word takes.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
wosehmo
a) someone
b) somehow
c) whoever
d) somewhat
Show answer
b) somehow. There are two o's and a w here, and no t, n, r or v, which leaves one option.
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) evrywhere
b) nobodie
c) somehow
d) somewere
Show answer
c) somehow. Everywhere needs its middle e, nobody ends in y, and somewhere has an h.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Someone says, "We will manage somehow." How do they feel about the job ahead?
a) sure it can be done, but unsure of the way
b) sure of every single step in the plan
c) not at all interested in doing it
d) certain that it cannot be done at all
Show answer
a) sure it can be done, but unsure of the way
2. The team was losing, but somehow it won. The win was ____.
a) expected by everyone watching
b) a surprise that puzzled everyone
c) easy from the very beginning
d) planned by the coach all along
Show answer
b) a surprise that puzzled everyone
