Spell Bee Word: unfortunately

Basic Details

Word: Unfortunately

Part of Speech: Adverb

Meaning: Sadly or unluckily; used to say that something disappointing or bad has happened.

Synonyms: sadly, unluckily, regrettably

Antonyms: fortunately, luckily, happily

How to Spell Unfortunately

Syllables: un - for - tu - nate - ly

Tricky part: The e of fortunate must stay before ly. Unfortunatly, without that e, is one of the most common spelling errors in school writing.

Watch out for: unfortunatly, unfortunetly, unfortunatelly

Memory tip: Find the little word ate near the end: unfortun-ATE-ly. That ate must stay in one piece before ly.

Usage Examples

Example 1: Unfortunately, the last train to Pune had already left when we reached the station.

Example 2: We planned a picnic at Lalbagh, but unfortunately it poured all afternoon.

Example 3: The museum was unfortunately closed for repairs on the day we visited.

Fun Fact

Fortune comes from Fortuna, the Roman goddess of luck, who was often shown with a wheel that could lift people up or bring them down.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Connection

Choose the antonym of the word unfortunately as it is used in the sentence:

Unfortunately, the bus broke down halfway to the zoo and the class spent the morning by the roadside.

a) unhappily
b) regrettably
c) luckily
d) sadly

Word Cookie

Find the extra letter in the word:

unforetunately

a) r
b) t
c) o
d) e

Spell-o-Spell

Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:

1. unfortunately 2. imediately 3. ocassionally 4. disapointed

a) now and then; sometimes
b) sad because something was not as good as hoped
c) sadly; as a piece of bad luck
d) at once; without any delay

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which piece of news would most likely begin with unfortunately?

a) we won the trophy
b) the food was delicious
c) the match was called off
d) everyone had great fun

2. Which word could replace unfortunately in Unfortunately, the shop was shut?

a) Sadly
b) Quickly
c) Kindly
d) Luckily