What does trestle mean?
Word: Trestle
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Trestle means a wooden or metal frame, usually one of a pair, that holds up a flat board as a table.
How do you spell trestle?
Syllables: tres - tle
Tricky part: The t before the le is silent, so pupils write only what they hear and leave it out.
Watch out for: tresle, tressle
Memory tip: The silent t is like a trestle itself: it holds things up from underneath without anyone noticing.
Trestle in a sentence
Example 1: We set up trestle tables in the school hall for the book fair.
Example 2: The painter stood on a plank laid across two trestles.
Example 3: One trestle wobbled, so Papa slid a folded card under its leg.
Fun Fact
The idea is not only for tables. A trestle bridge carries a railway across a valley on rows of strong braced frames.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. trestle 2. scafold 3. varnesh 4. carpentary
a) a clear liquid painted on wood to give it a shine
b) the craft of making things out of wood
c) a framework of poles and boards for builders
d) a standing support used to raise a long flat top
Show answer
d) a standing support used to raise a long flat top. Scaffold has two f's, carpentry drops that a and varnish takes an i.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
tr_stl_
a) e, e
b) e, a
c) a, e
d) i, e
Show answer
a) e, e. The same vowel fills both gaps.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
tresstle
a) l
b) s
c) e
d) r
Show answer
b) s. The silent t has just one s in front of it.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What would you most likely see resting on trestles at a school fair?
a) a long board holding books for sale
b) a tall flag on top of a pole
c) a row of bicycles with locks
d) a heavy piano with brass wheels
Show answer
a) a long board holding books for sale
2. Why are trestle tables popular for events?
a) they are carved from one huge tree trunk
b) they are too heavy to be moved about
c) they can be taken apart and stored easily
d) they are fixed to the floor for good
Show answer
c) they can be taken apart and stored easily
