Myriora Verbal Reasoning › 11+ verbal reasoning › Chapter 2: Hidden and missing words

Missing three letters

11+Chapter 2 · Lesson 2

In this lesson

The three missing letters stay together, in order.
Use the meaning to guess the whole word.
Line it up, and check the letters spell a real word.
And write just the three letters.

Your turn

Which three letters are missing from the word in capitals?

Show the answer

P, E, A! Disappear. And pea is a real word.

The common mistake

Here's a common mistake. The word in capitals should be stranger. Lots of people write the whole word, stranger. But the question only asks for the three missing letters. So the answer is ran.

Try it at home

Missing-letter swap: write a sentence, then take three letters that spell a word (like RAT from scRATched) out of one long word, and give it to someone to fix.

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! In this sentence, the word in capitals has three letters missing. It should say: my favourite colour is blue. So which three letters are missing? O, U, R! Put them back, and you get favourite.

Here's the rule. The three missing letters always stay together, in the same order. And together, they always spell a real word. O, U, R spells our.

Let's see how to solve one. Look at the word in capitals. First, read the whole sentence and use the meaning. Something that munches leaves, beginning with C. A caterpillar! Next, line the two words up. The start and the end match, so the missing letters are A, T, E. Last, check: A, T, E spells ate, a real word.

Let's try one together. Here's the sentence. Which three letters are missing? Say it out loud!

O, A, R! Cupboard. And oar is a real word: you row a boat with an oar. Well done if you said O, A, R!

Here's a common mistake. The word in capitals should be stranger. Lots of people write the whole word, stranger. But the question only asks for the three missing letters. So the answer is ran.

Your turn! Which three letters are missing from the word in capitals? Pick the right card. You've got ten seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! P, E, A! Disappear. And pea is a real word.

Quick review. The three missing letters stay together, in order. Use the meaning to guess the whole word. Line it up, and check the letters spell a real word. And write just the three letters. See you next time!