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Class 3 · English

Simple words and spelling

🧊 Explore in 3D: Phonics and word buildingEach topic: a spark, a 3D scene, an explanation, practice, a real-life task and reflection. ▶ Open topic

📘 Chapter notes

The key ideas of this chapter, answered through the six guiding questions. Read them with your textbook.

🧠 Concept map: Simple words and spelling
spellingword familysight wordoppositedictationSimple words andspelling
1What am I looking at?

Answer: Spelling common words correctly.

2What are its main parts or ideas?

Answer: Word families (-at, -an, -ing), sight words (the, said, was), opposites.

3How does it work?

Answer: Say, look, cover, write and check each word.

4Why is it important?

Answer: Correct spelling makes writing easy to read.

5What happens if something changes?

Answer: Changing the first letter of a word family makes new words: cat, hat, mat.

6What should I remember for the exam?

Answer: Dictation, word families and fill in the missing letters.

📗 Full lesson: Vocabulary and word families

This topic comes from GayaGnan's India-wide K–12 catalog. It is not copied from, or an official chapter of, any board's textbook: check your board's syllabus for the exact chapter and depth. Open as its own page →

🖼️ 2D concept map

Vocabulary andword familiessynonym: word with a similar meaningsynonymantonym: word with an opposite meaningantonymhomophone: word that sounds like another but differs in meaninghomophonecontext: words around a word that help explain itcontext
Tap a word to see what it means.

Interactive dictionary with guide words and synonym webs

ℹ️ Simple layout.

🎯 Learning outcomes

  • Use synonyms, antonyms, homophones and compound words
  • Work out the meanings of new words from context and word parts
  • Use a dictionary to find meanings and spellings

Before you start: Basic vocabulary and opposites.

📖 Explanation

Synonyms have similar meanings (big–large, happy–glad); antonyms have opposite meanings (brave–cowardly). Homophones sound alike but differ in spelling and meaning (sea–see, there–their). Compound words join two words (rain + coat = raincoat).

Context clues help with new words: 'The arid land had no water for months' suggests arid means very dry. Word parts help too: 'un-' means not, '-less' means without.

A dictionary lists words in alphabetical order with meanings, pronunciation and parts of speech. Guide words at the top of each page show the first and last words on that page.

🇮🇳 Example from India

In the newspaper headline 'Monsoon arrives early, farmers jubilant', the context tells us 'jubilant' means very happy.

⚠️ Common mistake

✗ Synonyms can always replace each other exactly
✓ Synonyms differ slightly: 'house' and 'home' are not always the same.

🧪 Try this activity

Play 'word ladder': start with 'happy' and give synonyms in turn (glad, cheerful, joyful) without repeating.

✍️ Question bank with answers

Tap an option to check multiple-choice answers. Open “Answer” or “Marking points” for the others.

  1. Multiple choice 1 mark · easy

    A synonym of 'quick' is

    Answer

    B. fast

    Quick and fast mean the same.

  2. Multiple choice 1 mark · easy

    Choose the correct homophone: 'I ___ the sea.'

    Answer

    D. see

    'See' means to look.

  3. Multiple choice 1 mark · easy

    Which is a compound word?

    Answer

    C. sunflower

    Sun + flower.

  4. Very short answer 1 mark · easy

    Write an antonym of 'ancient'.

    Answer

    modern

  5. Very short answer 1 mark · easy

    Which word comes first in a dictionary: mango or marble?

    Answer

    mango

  6. Short answer 2 marks · medium

    Use 'their' and 'there' in two sentences.

    Marking points
    • A sentence with 'their' showing possession
    • A sentence with 'there' showing place

  7. Long answer 4 marks · hard

    Read: 'The exhausted farmer rested under the banyan after ploughing all day.' Find the meaning of 'exhausted' using context and explain your clues.

    Marking points
    • Very tired
    • Clues: rested, after ploughing all day

  8. Application 2 marks · medium

    You do not know the word 'nocturnal'. How can you find its meaning?

    Answer
    • Use a dictionary or context
    • It means active at night

  9. Diagram / label 2 marks · medium

    Draw a word web for 'beautiful' with four synonyms.

    Answer

    Four synonyms such as pretty, lovely, gorgeous, attractive

🎲 Practice more

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