Spelling Test Questions and Answers

Answer: B

It is archaeology.

From the Greek archaios, ancient - the ae before the o is what most misspellings lose. Americans write archeology.

Answer: C

Correct answer: Connoisseur

The correct spelling is connoisseur - a double n, a double s, and the French ending -eur. It is among the hardest words in English to spell from its sound, because none of the doublings is audible and the vowel cluster oi does not behave as an English reader expects. It is French, from an older spelling of connaisseur, built on connaître, to know - and that verb comes from the Latin cognoscere, the same root that gives English recognise, cognition and acquaint. The -eur ending places it with amateur, chauffeur, entrepreneur, masseur and saboteur, all French agent nouns kept whole in English. Its close relative in difficulty is reconnaissance, from the same verb, which doubles both the n and the s in the same way.

Answer: A

It is abbreviate.

Two b's and one t: the word comes from the Latin brevis, short, with the prefix ad- assimilated to ab-, which is where the doubled b comes from. It means to shorten.

Answer: D

It is jeopardous.

Built on jeopardy, from the Old French jeu parti, a divided game - one whose outcome is even and so risky.

Answer: B

It is luxurious.

Built on luxury, which keeps its u before the -ious. Note that luxuriant means growing abundantly, which is a different word.

Answer: D

It is scavenger.

The word was originally scavager, an official who collected street refuse; the n crept in as it did in messenger and passenger.

Answer: B

Correct answer: Separate

The correct spelling is separate, with an a in the middle - not seperate, which is among the commonest errors in written English. The word comes from the Latin separare, built on parare, to prepare or make ready - the same root as prepare and repair. Seeing par inside the word settles the vowel. The usual mnemonic is that there is a rat in sepa rate. The related forms keep the same vowel: separation, separately, separable, inseparable. The mistake persists because the middle syllable is unstressed and reduced in speech to a neutral vowel, giving the ear no help - the same reason definitely, grammar, calendar and independent are so often misspelt.

Answer: A

It is inconvenience.

The ending is -ence, from the Latin convenire, to come together, a fourth-conjugation verb. Convenient shows the same vowel.

Answer: B

It is vaccination.

Two c's, from the Latin vacca, a cow - Jenner used cowpox to protect against smallpox, and the cow is still in the word.

Answer: B

It is tuition.

From the Latin tueri, to watch over - the same root as tutor. The i before the -tion is what is usually dropped.