Serendipity
Correct pronunciation:
\ ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē \
Definition:
1. a happy coincidence
2. an accidental and positive discovery
3. unexpected luck
Serendipity is “good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries.”
– Vocabulary Dictionary
Part of Speech (POS):
noun
Why is it important to know a word’s part of speech?
Understanding the different parts of speech is important for understanding how words work. When we understand how words work, we know how to build grammatically correct sentences.
If a word has multiple meanings, how are people supposed to differentiate which definition is applicable in different contexts?
Answer:
Context clues are hints found within a sentence, paragraph or passage that a reader can use to understand unfamiliar meanings.
Readers will need to especially pay attention to context clues. Doing so will allow them to be able to decide upon the appropriate definition to fit the context in which the word is being used.
Synonyms for the word serendipity:
Remember, a synonym is a word or phrase that has the exact or near exact definition as another word or phrase.
• lucky break
• blessing
• fluke
• fortune
Other word forms of serendipity
serendipitous = adjective
serendipitously = adverb
Why is knowing various forms of a word important?
Knowing the various forms of a word allows the writer to use the word in many ways. This allows for creativity and varied sentence structure, which are important skills for strong writing.
Below are forms of serendipity used correctly in different sentence types:
• I met my partner serendipitously. (adverb; simple sentence)
• The photographer experienced a stroke of serendipity when the cat cuddled up with the dog. (noun; complex sentence)
• She was having a rotten day, but his serendipitous arrival made all her sadness disappear. (adjective; compound sentence)
• With pressure mounting due to the deadline, serendipitous, new information came to Carlos, and he was able to complete his article. (adjective; compound-complex sentence)
In the above examples, we have provided the four English sentence types as examples of how each sentence type should be structured.
Activity:
1. Write three complex sentences using the word serendipity or its two other word forms (adjective and adverb).
A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one independent and at least one dependent clause. An independent clause is a complete thought that can stand alone as a sentence. A dependent clause is not a complete thought. It is a sentence that depends on the independent clause.
2. Write two compound sentences using the word serendipity or its two other word forms (adjective and adverb).
A compound sentence is a sentence containing two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or semicolon.
3. Write two simple sentences using the noun and adverb form of serendipity.
4. After proofreading your sentences, type them into the Leave a Reply/Leave a Comment section below (keep scrolling down).
5. Please review The 4 Types of Sentences workshop in our Basic Rules of Grammar category. At the very bottom of this page, you will find a search bar section where you can type in the words The 4 Types of Sentences to find the workshop and other helpful workshops.
A member of our teaching staff will provide helpful feedback for the sentences you provide in the comment section below. If you have any questions related to this workshop, please feel free to post those as well.
Writing Tip: Use the word during a conversation today. The more you familiarize yourself with this word by consistently incorporating it into your vocabulary and writing, the easier it will be to remember the word.
We hope you enjoyed this reading and writing workshop.
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