8th Grade Writing Flashcards: Spell Correctly

What this deck covers

This deck focuses on Spell Correctly, giving you a quick way to review the definitions, rules, and examples that matter most for 8th Grade Writing.

How to use these flashcards

Work through these flashcards in short sessions. Try to answer each prompt before flipping the card, then revisit any cards you miss until the explanation feels automatic.

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

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

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

Answer: friend. Follows i before e except after c rule.

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

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

Flashcard 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Answer: a lot. Two separate words, never combined.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Answer: their. Shows possession - something belongs to them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Answer: a lot. Two separate words, never one word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Flashcard 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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