What does supervise mean?
Word: Supervise
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Supervise means to watch over people or a task and make sure everything is done properly and safely.
Synonyms: manage, monitor
How do you spell supervise?
Syllables: su - per - vise
Tricky part: Supervise always ends in ise, in British and American English alike. Pupils who know realize and organize, which Oxford also gives with ize, often write supervize.
Watch out for: supervize, supervice
Memory tip: Advise, revise, televise, supervise: learn them as a set of four verbs that never take a z.
Supervise in a sentence
Example 1: Two teachers will supervise the Class 6 trip to the science museum.
Example 2: A lifeguard supervises the swimmers at the club pool every evening.
Example 3: Grandpa supervised while I fixed the puncture on my cycle.
Fun Fact
In Indian and British schools, the teacher who supervises an exam hall is called an invigilator; in the United States the usual word is proctor.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to complete the word:
s_p_rvise
a) e, e
b) u, i
c) u, e
d) o, e
Show answer
c) u, e. The word opens with super, the same start as superhero and supermarket.
Mingle-Mangle
Unscramble the jumbled word in the sentence and choose the correct word:
Our class monitor will ssurepvei the tidying of the playground after the fete.
a) supersede
b) superior
c) surprise
d) supervise
Show answer
d) supervise. The jumble has a v, and only supervise among the four contains one.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word supervise as used in the sentence:
The head cook will supervise the kitchen during the school's annual day.
a) close
b) clean
c) decorate
d) oversee
Show answer
d) oversee. To oversee is to watch over work as the person in charge.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word:
1. supervise 2. instrukt 3. arange 4. deligate
a) to keep an eye on others as they carry out a job
b) to hand a task over to someone else
c) to put things in a neat order or plan them
d) to teach someone how to do something
Show answer
a) to keep an eye on others as they carry out a job. Instruct has a c before the t, arrange has a double r, and delegate has an e after the l.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who would be expected to supervise a school science practical?
a) the chemistry teacher
b) a visiting parent
c) the bus driver
d) the youngest pupil
Show answer
a) the chemistry teacher
2. What does a supervisor at a building site mainly do?
a) checks that the work is done well
b) draws the plans for the owner
c) sells the finished flats
d) carries all the bricks alone
Show answer
a) checks that the work is done well
