Less & Smaller

Test yourself

Min - Less

Words beginning with 'min' generally mean something is less or smaller than something else.

Minor

The adjective minor means of less importance. From minor, we get the word minority, which means the smaller part or number of something.
- Example: Patrick missed his bus this morning, which was a minor inconvenience.
- Alternative: Patrick missed his bus this morning, which was a small inconvenience.

Minuscule

Minuscule means very small.
- Example: Chris must be hungry as his lunch was minuscule.
- Alternative: Chris must be hungry as his lunch was tiny.

Minimum

A minimum is the smallest amount possible.
- Example: Terry had very little motivation to exercise. He did the bare minimum to stay in shape.
- Alternative: Terry had very little motivation to exercise. He did the least amount possible to stay in shape.

Minute

Minute means very, very small.
- Example: The mouse was so minute we could hardly see it.
- Alternative: The mouse was so tiny we could hardly see it.

Micr - Small

Words beginning with 'micr' generally mean something is small.

Microscope

A microscope lets us look at objects that are too small to look at with the naked eye.
Things that are microscopic are technically so small that we can only see them with a microscope. We also use this word in everyday life to mean very, very small!
- Example: The dining hall serves food in microscopic portions!
- Alternative: The dining hall serves food in minuscule portions.

Microorganism

A microorganism is a microscopic organism - an organism we can only see under a microscope.
- Example: Bacteria, viruses and fungi are examples of microorganisms.

Microeconomics

Microeconomics looks at economics at an individual and business level. Microeconomics looks at the smaller picture compared to macroeconomics, which looks at the economy at a national level.
- Example: Troy was rubbish at microeconomics, but he passed his macroeconomics exam comfortably.

Micromanage

To micromanage is to manage every part of an operation or situation, no matter how small.
- Example: It was not his place to micromanage the office.
- Alternative: It was not his place to manage every part of the office.

Microwave

A microwave is a tiny electromagnetic wave.
These kinds of waves can be used for cooking food. Unsurprisingly, microwave ovens cook food using microwaves.
- Example: Carris had bought a ready meal for dinner, forgetting that she did not own a microwave.

1Spelling

1.1Spelling

1.1.1Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds

1.1.2Words Ending in '-sure', & '-mure'

1.1.3Words Ending in '-sion'

1.1.4'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings

1.1.5Spelling Words with 'Ch'

1.1.6Spelling Words with 'Sc'

1.1.7Silent Letters

1.1.8i Before e Rule

1.1.9Hard & Soft 'c' Sounds

1.1.10End of Topic Test - Spelling

1.2Prefixes

1.2.1'Anti-' & 'Auto-'

1.2.2Not & 'Inter-'

1.2.3'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'

1.2.4'Sub-' & 'Super-'

1.3Suffixes

1.3.1Vowel Suffixes

1.3.2Short Vowel Suffixes

1.3.3Suffixes: '-ous'

1.3.4Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'

1.3.5Rules for Suffixes: '-ous' 2

1.3.6Suffixes: '-ly'

1.3.7Suffixes: '-ation'

1.3.8Suffixes: '-ation' 2

1.3.9Spelling: '-tion' Endings

1.3.10Spelling: '-sion' Endings

1.3.11Spelling: '-ssion' Endings

1.3.12Spelling: '-cian' Endings

1.3.13End of Topic Test - Prefixes & Suffixes

1.4Making Words Plural

1.4.1Plurals

1.5Homophones

1.6Word Meanings

1.6.1Homonyms

2Punctuation

3Grammar

3.1Word Classes

3.1.1Nouns

3.1.2Pronouns

3.1.3Verbs

3.1.4Adjectives & Adverbs

3.1.5Qualifiers & Quantifiers

3.1.6Determiners

3.1.7Prepositions

3.1.8Synonyms & Antonyms

3.1.9End of Topic Test - Word Classes

3.2Conjunctions

3.2.1Coordinating Conjunctions

3.2.2Subordinating Conjunctions

3.3Writing Coherently

3.3.1Building Cohesion in Writing

3.3.2Avoiding Ambiguity in Writing

3.4Verbs

3.4.1Subject-verb Agreement

3.5Modal Verbs

3.5.1Modal Verbs

3.5.2Can & Could

3.5.3May & Might

3.5.4Should & Shall

3.5.5Will & Would

3.5.6Must & Have To

3.6Phrasal Verbs

3.6.1Phrasal Verbs

3.7Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.1Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.2End of Topic Test - Verbs

3.8Sentences

3.8.1Subject of a Sentence

3.8.2Object of a Sentence

3.8.3Main & Subordinate Clauses

3.8.4Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences

3.8.5Complex Sentences

3.8.6Relative Clauses

3.8.7Relative Clauses Without Relative Pronouns

3.8.8Participle Clauses

3.8.9Run-on Sentences

3.8.10Sentence Functions

3.8.11End of Topic Test - Sentences

3.9Tenses

3.9.1Present Tense

3.9.2Past Tense

3.9.3Past Tense Using Have

3.9.4Future Tense

3.9.5Present vs Past vs Future

3.9.6Continuity of Tenses

3.9.7End of Topic Test - Tenses

3.10Adverbials

3.10.1Adverbial

3.10.2Saying Where & When

3.10.3Saying How Often

3.10.4Saying How & Why

3.10.5Using Commas for Fronted Adverbials

3.11Language Techniques

3.11.1Figurative & Emotive Language

3.11.2Active & Passive Voice

3.11.3Idiomatic Expressions

4Decoding Words

4.1Common Word Roots

4.1.1End of Topic Test - Common Root Words

4.1.2Saving

4.1.3Certainty & Clarity

4.1.4New & Alone

4.1.5Believing & Thinking

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Common Root Words 2

4.1.7Carrying & Leading

4.1.8Shape & Place

4.1.9Doing & Making

4.1.10Climbing & Going

4.2Common Prefixes

4.2.1For & Against

4.2.2End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes 2

4.2.3All & Same

4.2.4Away & Far

4.2.5Colour & Shape

4.2.6End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes

4.2.7Back & Down

4.2.8Numbers

4.2.9Across & Through

4.2.10Life & Earth

4.2.11Empty & Broken

4.2.12Great & Greater

4.2.13Hearing & Speaking

4.2.14Apart & Together

4.2.15Over & Under

4.2.16In

4.2.17Less & Smaller

4.2.18Before & After

4.3Common Suffixes

4.3.1Characterised By

4.3.2End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes

4.3.3Disease

4.3.4Lover & Lacking

4.3.5Belief & Study

4.3.6People

4.3.7State & Quality

4.3.8End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes 2

4.3.9Sound & Colour

4.3.10Capable & Relating

5Reading & Writing

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