Basic Details
Word: Syntax
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The rules for arranging words into sentences, or the way the words of a particular sentence are arranged. Computer languages have a syntax too.
Synonyms: sentence structure, grammar
How to Spell Syntax
Syllables: syn - tax
Tricky part: It starts with syn (with a y), like synonym, and ends in x. Students write sintax or syntacs.
Watch out for: sintax, syntacs, syntex, sintacks
Memory tip: Syn + tax. Imagine the rules of a sentence charging a tax on every word that is out of place.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Yoda in Star Wars is famous for his strange syntax.
Example 2: Hindi syntax usually puts the verb at the end of the sentence.
Example 3: My code would not run because of one small syntax mistake.
Fun Fact
Syntax comes from Greek syntaxis, an arrangement, from syn, together, and taxis, order. Taxis also gives taxonomy, the science of ordering living things.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
synntax
a) x
b) y
c) n
d) t
Show answer
c) n. Syn has just one n, as in synonym.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the meaning of the correctly spelt word:
1. semicolen 2. punctuasion 3. syntax 4. paragragh
a) marks such as commas and full stops
b) a mark made of a dot above a comma
c) the way words are arranged in sentences
d) a group of sentences on one topic
Show answer
c) the way words are arranged in sentences. Semicolon ends like colon, paragraph ends like graph, and punctuation ends in tion; syntax is already right.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
A missing bracket caused an error in the tyxnas of Aditya's computer program.
a) synapse
b) taxis
c) sextant
d) syntax
Show answer
d) syntax. Only syntax uses all six letters once: synapse needs a p and an e, sextant an e and a second t, and taxis an i.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Syntax is mainly about ____.
a) the history of words
b) the sounds of letters
c) the meaning of single words
d) the order of words in a sentence
Show answer
d) the order of words in a sentence
2. Which sentence has faulty syntax?
a) The boy went home quickly.
b) Quickly the went boy home.
c) Quickly, the boy went home.
d) The boy quickly went home.
Show answer
b) Quickly the went boy home.
