Choose the option that best complete the gap (s) Our teacher defined ......in his introductory lesson

Analyze the question: This is a spelling question. You are to choose the correctly spelled word that fits the gap. The teacher "defined __" in an introductory lesson, which is likely a literary term.

Explain the concept: Onomatopoeia is a figure of speech in which a word imitates the sound it describes, for example buzz, hiss, bang, sizzle, meow.

Solution: Compare the spellings.

• A. onomatopoeia: correct. It has the pattern onomato-poeia.
• B. onomatopieoa: the letters "ieoa" are jumbled, so it is wrong.
• C. onomatopiea: "piea" replaces "poeia", so it is wrong.
• D. Onomatopoia: the "e" is missing after "o", so it is wrong. (The capital O is also unnecessary mid-sentence.)

The word comes from Greek onoma (name) + poiein (to make), so the ending is -poeia, as in "poem" and "poet", with the "o" and "e" together.

Answer: A. onomatopoeia

Tip: Break the word into chunks to remember it: ono – mato – poe – ia. Link "poe" to "poem" or "poet", since both come from the same Greek root for "making/creating". Also, in JAMB spelling questions, check the vowel clusters first, because that is where most of the wrong options hide their errors.