Spell Correctly - 8th Grade Writing

1. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "to get" (often misspelled as aquire)?

   acquire. 'C' before 'q' follows the pattern of acquaint, acquit.

2. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "friend"? A) freind B) friend C) frend

   friend. Follows i before e except after c rule.

3. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "a privilege" (often misspelled as "privelege")?

   privilege. The 'i' comes before 'lege' - think of 'privilege' as special.

4. What is the rule for spelling a word when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word ending in silent e?

   Drop the silent e before adding the suffix (make → making). Silent e is dropped to avoid double vowels.

5. Find and correct the spelling error: "The arguement lasted for hours."

   Correct: argument. Argue drops e before -ment (exception to the rule).

6. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "a noticeable change" (often misspelled as "diffrence")?

   difference. Two 'f's and ends in '-ence' not '-ance'.

7. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "to make a choice" (often misspelled as "chose" when present tense is needed)?

   choose. Present tense has double 'o'; 'chose' is past tense.

8. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "a lot" (often misspelled as alot)?

   a lot. Two separate words, never combined.

9. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "maintenance" (often misspelled as maintainance)?

   maintenance. Maintain + ance, not maintainance; drops the 'i.'

10. What is the rule for doubling the final consonant before adding -ing or -ed?

    Double if 1 syllable, 1 vowel, ends in 1 consonant: hop → hopping. CVC pattern doubles to keep the short vowel sound.

11. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "their place" (often misspelled as thier)?

    their. 'E' before 'i' - possessive pronoun, not 'there.'

12. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "necessary" (often misspelled as neccessary)?

    necessary. One 'c' and double 's' - remember 'one collar, two socks.'

13. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "government" (often misspelled as goverment)?

    government. Contains 'n' after 'r' - govern + ment.

14. Which word correctly completes the possessive meaning "belonging to them": there, their, or they're?

    their. Shows possession - something belongs to them.

15. What is the rule for adding -ing to a word ending in ie?

    Change ie to y: die → dying. Prevents three vowels in a row.

16. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "separate"? A) seperate B) separate C) sepparate

    separate. Remember 'a rat' in the middle: sep-a-rat-e.

17. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "friend" (often misspelled as "freind")?

    friend. 'I' before 'e' when it sounds like 'ee'.

18. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "to receive" (often misspelled as "recieve")?

    receive. Follow the 'i before e except after c' rule.

19. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "an argument or disagreement" (often misspelled as "dissagreement")?

    disagreement. One 's' after 'dis-' prefix, not two.

20. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "business"? A) buisness B) business C) busines

    business. Remember the i comes after s, not u.

21. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "government"? A) goverment B) government C) governmant

    government. Contains 'govern' plus -ment; keep the n.

22. Find and correct the spelling error: "I recieved the package yesterday."

    Correct: received. I before e except after c applies here.

23. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "disappoint" (often misspelled as dissapoint)?

    disappoint. One 's' and double 'p' - dis + appoint.

24. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "receive" (often misspelled as recieve)?

    receive. 'E' before 'i' after 'c' - follows the rule.

25. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "weird" (often misspelled as wierd)?

    weird. 'E' before 'i' - an exception to the i-before-e rule.

26. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "occurred" (often misspelled as occured)?

    occurred. Double 'c' and double 'r' when adding -ed.

27. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "necessary"? A) neccessary B) necessary C) necesary

    necessary. One c, two s's; remember 'a shirt has one collar, two sleeves.'

28. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "successful" (often misspelled as sucessful)?

    successful. Double 'c' and double 's' - success + ful.

29. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "definitely"? A) definately B) definitely C) definatly

    definitely. Contains 'finite' with de- prefix and -ly suffix.

30. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "embarrass"? A) embarass B) embarrass C) embarress

    embarrass. Double r, double s; remember it's really embarrassing.

31. Which spelling rule explains why the plural of "baby" is "babies" (not "babys")?

    Change consonant + y to i, then add -es: baby → babies. Y after a consonant becomes i before adding -es.

32. Find and correct the spelling error: "We will meet tommorow after school."

    Correct: tomorrow. Double r, single m; think 'to-mor-row.'

33. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "definitely" (often misspelled as definately)?

    definitely. Ends with -itely, not -ately; think 'finite' inside.

34. What is the rule for making most singular nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh plural?

    Add -es (e.g., box → boxes; church → churches). These endings create sibilant sounds requiring -es for pronunciation.

35. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "embarrassed" (often misspelled as "embarassed")?

    embarrassed. Double 'r' and double 's' - think 'really red'.

36. Which spelling rule explains why the plural of "key" is "keys" (not "keies")?

    Keep vowel + y, add -s: key → keys. Y after a vowel stays unchanged when adding -s.

37. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "believe" (often misspelled as beleive)?

    believe. Follows 'i before e except after c' rule.

38. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "beginning"? A) begining B) beginning C) beggining

    beginning. Double n follows CVC rule; 'begin' doubles before -ing.

39. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "recommend" (often misspelled as recomend)?

    recommend. One 'c' and double 'm' - re + commend.

40. What is the rule for adding -ly to an adjective ending in y?

    Change y to i, then add -ly: happy → happily. Y becomes i before consonant suffixes.

41. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "a lot" (often written incorrectly as "alot")?

    a lot. Two separate words, never one word.

42. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "privilege" (often misspelled as priviledge)?

    privilege. Ends in -ege, not -edge; think 'vile' in privilege.

43. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "separate" (often misspelled as seperat)?

    separate. Remember 'a rat' in the middle of sep-a-rat-e.

44. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "definitely" (often misspelled as "definately")?

    definitely. Contains 'finite' - definitely has an 'i', not 'a'.

45. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "not necessary" (often misspelled as "unneccessary")?

    unnecessary. One 'n' and two 's's - the prefix 'un-' plus 'necessary'.

46. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "judgment" (often misspelled as judgement in US English)?

    judgment. US English drops the 'e' after 'g'; UK keeps it.

47. Which word correctly completes the contraction meaning "they are": there, their, or they're?

    they're. Contraction of 'they are' with an apostrophe.

48. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "beginning" (often misspelled as begining)?

    beginning. Double 'n' before -ing; follows the doubling rule.

49. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "embarrass" (often misspelled as embarass)?

    embarrass. Double 'r' and double 's' - think 'bare ass' (but polite!).

50. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "to maintain" (often misspelled as "maintainance")?

    maintenance. Ends in '-enance' not '-ainance' - maintain becomes maintenance.

51. What is the rule for spelling a word when adding a suffix that begins with a consonant to a word ending in silent e?

    Keep the silent e (hope → hopeful). Silent e is kept to preserve the long vowel sound.

52. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "separate" (often misspelled as "seperate")?

    separate. Remember 'a rat' in the middle - sep-A-RAT-e.

53. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "a recommendation" (often misspelled as "reccomendation")?

    recommendation. One 'c' and two 'm's - remember 'commend' inside it.

54. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "until" (often misspelled as untill)?

    until. Only one 'l' at the end, not double.

55. Which option correctly spells the word meaning "occurred"? A) occured B) occurred C) occurrred

    occurred. Double r follows the CVC doubling rule for stressed syllables.

56. What is the correct spelling for the word meaning "gauge" (often misspelled as "guage")?

    gauge. The 'a' comes before 'u' - unusual but correct.

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