www.oxfordowl.co.uk/christmas© Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary 2016. All rights reserved. Illustrations © Quentin Blake

Spoonerism and malapropism are two fun ways to play around with words and add humour to your creative writing.

‘Jipping and skumping’ from The BFG ‘catasterous disastrophe’ from The BFG

Spoonerisms and Squiggly words

Spoonerism: Swapping the first letters of words in a phrase.

Can you work out the original words of these spoonerisms?

‘bellypopper’ from The BFG

a) Have a go at creating some of your own spoonerisms:

strawberries and cream

rat’s tails

nail varnish

‘scrambled dregs’ from The BFG

Get squiggling some malapropisms for these words:

chocolate

frogs legs

shampoo

Malapropism: Using a made-up word that rhymes with, or sounds like, the original word.

Can you work out the original words of these malapropisms?

P.T.O.

www.oxfordowl.co.uk/christmas© Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary 2016. All rights reserved. Illustrations © Quentin Blake

Spoonerisms and Squiggly words

Using spoonerisms and malapropisms write a recipe for one of the following:

a) a new Wonka sweet for the Wonka chocolate factory

b) a delayed action mouse-maker formula for The Grand High Witch

c) a marvellous medicine for George’s Grandma

Oxford Roald Dahl DictionaryFrom aardvark to zozimus, a dictionary of real and invented words used by the world’s best storyteller.

With real citations from Roald Dahl’s children’s books and illustrations by Quentin Blake, this dictionary is engaging, accessible, and will inspire and encourage young writers and readers.