Lesson 37: TEND / TENS
The Root
TEND and TENS come from Latin tendere, meaning "to stretch."
When you see these roots in a word, think about stretching—reaching out, straining toward something, or being pulled tight.
Word List
| Word | Parts | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| extend | EX- (out) + TEND (stretch) | to stretch out; to make longer |
| intend | IN- (toward) + TEND (stretch) | to stretch the mind toward; to plan or mean to |
| attend | AT- (toward) + TEND (stretch) | to stretch toward; to be present; to pay attention |
| pretend | PRE- (before) + TEND (stretch) | to stretch before reality; to act as if true |
| contend | CON- (against, with) + TEND (stretch) | to stretch against; to compete or argue |
| tend | EX- (out) + TEND (stretch) | to have a tendency; to care for |
| tension | TENS (stretch) + -ION (state of) | the state of being stretched; mental or physical strain |
| intense | IN- (into) + TENS (stretch) + -E | stretched tight; extreme or concentrated |
| extensive | EX- (out) + TENS (stretch) + -IVE | stretching widely; covering a large area |
| pretense | PRE- (before) + TENS (stretch) + -E | a false show; stretching the truth |
| extension | TENS (stretch) + -ION (state of) | the act of stretching out; an addition |
| distend | TEND (stretch, reach toward) | to stretch apart; to swell or expand |
| tense | IN- (into) + TENS (stretch) + -E | stretched tight; grammatical form showing time |
| portend | TEND (stretch, reach toward) | to stretch forward as a sign; to foreshadow |
| ostensible | OSTENS- (from *ostendere*, to stretch out for show) + -IBLE | stretched out for show; apparent but not real |
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
Choose the word that best completes each sentence.
- Could you __________ the deadline by one week?
a) intend
b) pretend
c) extend
d) contend
- The __________ in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
a) tension
b) extension
c) pretense
d) intention
- What do you __________ to do about the problem?
a) contend
b) extend
c) attend
d) intend
- The storm clouds __________ severe weather later today.
a) pretend
b) extend
c) portend
d) attend
- She couldn't maintain the __________ of friendliness any longer.
a) extension
b) tension
c) pretense
d) intention
- Two teams __________ for the championship title.
a) extended
b) contended
c) attended
d) pretended
- The heat was so __________ that we had to stay indoors.
a) extensive
b) intense
c) tense
d) ostensible
- The investigation was __________—covering years of records.
a) intense
b) pretense
c) extensive
d) portentous
- She asked her professor for an __________ on the assignment.
a) intention
b) extension
c) tension
d) contention
- His __________ reason for visiting was business, but he really came to see her.
a) tense
b) extensive
c) ostensible
d) intense
- Everyone seemed __________ before the announcement.
a) pretense
b) extensive
c) tense
d) portentous
- The balloon __________ until it nearly burst.
a) extended
b) distended
c) intended
d) contended
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
Use each word from the word bank exactly once.
Word Bank: extend, intend, attend, pretend, contend, tend, tension, intense, extensive, pretense, extension, tense
I __________ to finish this project by Friday.
Please __________ the meeting if you can.
He __________ to be sick so he could stay home from school.
Several candidates __________ for the leadership position.
Let's __________ the conversation over dinner.
Neck __________ from hours of sitting can cause headaches.
Her __________ focus on the task impressed everyone.
The research required __________ fieldwork across multiple countries.
She dropped all __________ and told me what she really thought.
The filing period has a one-week __________ this year.
The atmosphere was __________ as results were announced.
Plants __________ to grow toward sunlight.
Practice 3: Reading Passage
From the beginning, the negotiations were tense. Both sides contended over every point, and the tension in the room was palpable. Representatives intended to reach agreement, but each side maintained a pretense of cooperation while secretly preparing to walk away.
Dr. Amara Hassan was brought in to extend the talks when they nearly collapsed. Her approach was intense—focused entirely on finding common ground—but her manner was calm, never adding to the existing tension.
"I don't pretend this is easy," she told both delegations. "But I do intend to find a path forward. If you extend some good faith, I'll tend to the details."
Over extensive sessions stretching across months, trust slowly built. The pretense dropped. When one side's demands distended beyond reason, Dr. Hassan would gently push back. "These terms portend failure," she might say, "unless we return to what's ostensible here: mutual benefit."
By the end, both sides had extended themselves beyond what they thought possible. The agreement didn't erase all tension, but it created something new: a relationship that could attend to future challenges together.
Questions
- The negotiations were "tense." This means:
a) They were relaxed
b) They were stretched tight with stress
c) They were extended in time
d) They were insincere
- Both sides "contended" over every point. This means:
a) They agreed easily
b) They competed or argued
c) They extended offers
d) They pretended to care
- Each side maintained a "pretense" of cooperation. This means:
a) Genuine cooperation
b) A false show of cooperation
c) Intense cooperation
d) Extensive cooperation
- Demands "distended beyond reason" means:
a) They shrank appropriately
b) They stretched or swelled abnormally
c) They attended to details
d) They portended success
- The terms "portend failure" means:
a) They prevent failure
b) They stretch toward failure as a warning sign
c) They extend the process
d) They attend to failure
Answer Key
Practice 1: Multiple Choice
- c
- a
- d
- c
- c
- b
- b
- c
- b
- c
- c
- b
Practice 2: Fill in the Blank
- intend
- attend
- pretend
- contend
- extend
- tension
- intense
- extensive
- pretense
- extension
- tense
- tend
Reading Passage Questions
- b
- b
- b
- b
- b