Basic Details
Word: Trial
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A test to find out how well something works or how good someone is; also the hearing of a case in a court of law.
Synonyms: test, tryout, experiment, hearing
Sounds like: trail (a rough path through a forest or over hills)
How to Spell Trial
Syllables: tri - al
Tricky part: The i comes before the a. Swap them and you get trail, a different word that means a path.
Watch out for: tryal, triel, triall
Memory tip: A trial is when you try something out. Take try, change its y to i and add al.
Idioms and Phrases
- trial and error: trying different ways until one of them works Example: "Meera learnt to roll round rotis by trial and error."
Usage Examples
Example 1: The new school bus was given a week's trial before the children used it.
Example 2: Doctors are running a trial of a new medicine for dengue.
Example 3: My parents bought the washing machine after a free trial at home.
Fun Fact
New medicines are usually tested in clinical trials that run in phases, starting with a small group of volunteers and moving to much larger groups.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) rehersal
b) arrivel
c) trial
d) denyal
Show answer
c) trial. Rehearsal needs ea, arrival ends in al and denial changes y to i, which trial has already done.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
trial
a) victory
b) test
c) verdict
d) failure
Show answer
b) test. A trial of a new machine is a test of it; a verdict only comes at the end of a court trial.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
The football coach watched every player closely during the two-day triel at the stadium.
a) coach
b) stadium
c) player
d) triel
Show answer
d) triel. Think of try: its y turns to i, and the ending is al.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A trial run of a new metro line is done to ____.
a) check that everything works
b) close the line
c) celebrate its opening
d) sell tickets
Show answer
a) check that everything works
2. Which word fits? The thief's ____ will be held in the High Court next month.
a) triangle
b) trait
c) trail
d) trial
Show answer
d) trial
