SSC CGL English : English Spelling 

Correct Answer: Separate

Explanation: A common mnemonic is to remember there is “a rat” in separate.

Correct Answer: Accommodate

Explanation: This word has a double ‘c’ and a double ‘m’.

Correct Answer: Receive

Explanation: The rule is “i before e, except after c”.

Correct Answer: Definitely

Explanation: It is related to the word ‘finite’. Remember the ‘ite’ in the middle.

Correct Answer: Necessary

Explanation: It has one ‘c’ and double ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Occurrence

Explanation: Features a double ‘c’ and a double ‘r’.

Correct Answer: Embarrassment

Explanation: Remember it has a double ‘r’ and a double ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Weird

Explanation: This is a common exception to the “i before e, except after c” rule.

Correct Answer: Millennium

Explanation: It contains a double ‘l’ and a double ‘n’.

Correct Answer: Government

Explanation: The ‘n’ after ‘gover’ is often forgotten. It comes from the verb ‘govern’.

Correct Answer: Conscious

Explanation: It has ‘sc’ in the middle. Think of “science of the mind”.

Correct Answer: Privilege

Explanation: There are two ‘i’s and two ‘e’s. No ‘d’ before the ‘ge’.

Correct Answer: A lot

Explanation: ‘A lot’ (meaning ‘many’) is always two words. ‘Allot’ is a verb meaning to distribute.

Correct Answer: Independent

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-ent’, not ‘-ant’.

Correct Answer: Business

Explanation: Think of a ‘bus’ in the beginning, followed by ‘i-ness’.

Correct Answer: Calendar

Explanation: Ends with ‘-ar’, not ‘-er’.

Correct Answer: Argument

Explanation: The ‘e’ from ‘argue’ is dropped when adding the ‘-ment’ suffix.

Correct Answer: Believe

Explanation: Follows the “i before e, except after c” rule.

Correct Answer: Cemetery

Explanation: All three vowels are ‘e’.

Correct Answer: Committee

Explanation: This word has double ‘m’, double ‘t’, and double ‘e’.

Correct Answer: Conscience

Explanation: Contains ‘sci’ like in science. Do not confuse with ‘conscious’.

Correct Answer: Disappoint

Explanation: One ‘s’ and double ‘p’. It’s ‘dis’ + ‘appoint’.

Correct Answer: Existence

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-ence’, not ‘-ance’.

Correct Answer: Fiery

Explanation: The ‘e’ from ‘fire’ is not dropped. ‘Fier’ is followed by ‘y’.

Correct Answer: Foreign

Explanation: Another exception to the ‘i before e’ rule.

Correct Answer: Grateful

Explanation: It comes from ‘grate’, not ‘great’.

Correct Answer: Height

Explanation: Another exception to the ‘i before e’ rule. ‘ei’ comes before ‘gh’.

Correct Answer: Immediately

Explanation: Contains a double ‘m’. It is ‘immediate’ + ‘ly’.

Correct Answer: Jewelry

Explanation: American English spelling is ‘jewelry’. British English is ‘jewellery’. Both are technically correct, but ‘jewelry’ is more common in many contexts.

Correct Answer: Leisure

Explanation: Another exception to the ‘i before e’ rule.

Correct Answer: Maintenance

Explanation: The first part is ‘main’ but the second part is ‘tenance’, not ‘tainance’.

Correct Answer: Miscellaneous

Explanation: Starts with ‘mis’ and has a ‘c’ before ‘e’. Think ‘mis-cell’.

Correct Answer: Noticeable

Explanation: The ‘e’ in ‘notice’ is kept to maintain the soft ‘c’ sound.

Correct Answer: Pastime

Explanation: It means something that ‘passes the time’, but it’s spelled with only one ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Persistence

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-ence’.

Correct Answer: Possession

Explanation: It has double ‘s’ twice.

Correct Answer: Questionnaire

Explanation: Contains a double ‘n’ and ends with ‘-aire’.

Correct Answer: Restaurant

Explanation: The ‘au’ combination is often misspelled.

Correct Answer: Rhythm

Explanation: A very tricky word with two ‘h’s and no standard vowels.

Correct Answer: Successful

Explanation: Double ‘c’, double ‘s’, and one ‘l’ at the end.

Correct Answer: Tomorrow

Explanation: One ‘m’ and double ‘r’.

Correct Answer: Until

Explanation: Although ’till’ has two ‘l’s, ‘until’ has only one.

Correct Answer: Vacuum

Explanation: One ‘c’ and double ‘u’. This is very unique.

Correct Answer: Recommend

Explanation: One ‘c’ and double ‘m’. ‘re’ + ‘commend’.

Correct Answer: Temperature

Explanation: The ‘era’ in the middle is often missed. Temp-era-ture.

Correct Answer: Their

Explanation: ‘e’ before ‘i’. Do not confuse with ‘there’ or ‘they’re’.

Correct Answer: Pronunciation

Explanation: Although the verb is ‘pronounce’, the noun is ‘pronunciation’ (no ‘o’ after the first ‘n’).

Correct Answer: Harass

Explanation: One ‘r’ and double ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Mischievous

Explanation: ‘i’ before ‘e’. The ‘i’ after ‘v’ is often mistakenly added.

Correct Answer: Guarantee

Explanation: Starts with ‘gua’ and ends with ‘ee’. ‘Guaranty’ is an alternative noun, but ‘guarantee’ is the standard verb and common noun.

Correct Answer: Fahrenheit

Explanation: A German name with a tricky ‘h’ and ‘ei’ combination.

Correct Answer: Indispensable

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-able’ for this word.

Correct Answer: Liaison

Explanation: Has two ‘i’s and one ‘a’. It’s a French word.

Correct Answer: Omission

Explanation: One ‘m’, double ‘s’. It comes from ‘omit’.

Correct Answer: Precede

Explanation: To come before is to ‘precede’. To move forward is to ‘proceed’.

Correct Answer: Professor

Explanation: One ‘f’, double ‘s’, and ends in ‘-or’.

Correct Answer: Seize

Explanation: A major exception to the “i before e” rule.

Correct Answer: Supersede

Explanation: The only English word ending in ‘-sede’.

Correct Answer: Trespass

Explanation: One ‘s’ in the middle, double ‘s’ at the end.

Correct Answer: Withhold

Explanation: Two ‘h’s, but the second ‘h’ is part of ‘hold’.

Correct Answer: Achieve

Explanation: Follows the ‘i before e’ rule.

Correct Answer: Bellwether

Explanation: A ‘wether’ is a castrated ram that led the flock with a bell around its neck.

Correct Answer: Consensus

Explanation: No ‘c’ in the middle. Remember ‘con’ + ‘sensus’.

Correct Answer: Dilemma

Explanation: Contains a double ‘m’.

Correct Answer: Exhilarate

Explanation: The ‘h’ is followed by an ‘i’, not an ‘e’.

Correct Answer: Fluorescent

Explanation: The ‘uo’ combination can be tricky. Remember ‘fluor’.

Correct Answer: Hierarchy

Explanation: ‘ie’ followed by ‘rarchy’.

Correct Answer: Ignorance

Explanation: Suffix is ‘-ance’.

Correct Answer: Both A and B

Explanation: ‘Judgment’ is the preferred American spelling. ‘Judgement’ is the common British spelling. Both are considered correct.

Correct Answer: License

Explanation: In American English, ‘license’ is both the noun and the verb. In British English, ‘licence’ is the noun and ‘license’ is the verb.

Correct Answer: Miniature

Explanation: Think ‘mini-a-ture’. The ‘a’ is often forgotten.

Correct Answer: Nuisance

Explanation: The ‘ui’ vowel combination is key here.

Correct Answer: Occasionally

Explanation: Double ‘c’, single ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Parallel

Explanation: One ‘r’, double ‘l’ in the middle, and one ‘l’ at the end.

Correct Answer: Parliament

Explanation: The ‘ia’ combination is often misspelled.

Correct Answer: Physique

Explanation: From French, with ‘phy’ and a ‘-ique’ ending.

Correct Answer: Psychology

Explanation: Starts with a silent ‘p’.

Correct Answer: Queue

Explanation: A ‘Q’ followed by four vowels in a row.

Correct Answer: Relevant

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-ant’.

Correct Answer: Schedule

Explanation: Starts with ‘sch’ and has a ‘u’ in the middle.

Correct Answer: Sergeant

Explanation: The ‘er’ and ‘ea’ combinations make this word tricky.

Correct Answer: Truly

Explanation: The ‘e’ from ‘true’ is dropped before adding ‘-ly’.

Correct Answer: Unforeseen

Explanation: ‘un’ + ‘fore’ (as in before) + ‘seen’.

Correct Answer: Vicious

Explanation: The ‘-cious’ suffix is common in words like delicious, precious.

Correct Answer: Acquaintance

Explanation: ‘ac’ + ‘quaint’ + ‘ance’.

Correct Answer: Buoyant

Explanation: The ‘uo’ combination is unusual.

Correct Answer: Chauffeur

Explanation: A French word with double ‘f’ and an ‘eur’ ending.

Correct Answer: Connoisseur

Explanation: A very difficult word with double ‘n’ and double ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Daiquiri

Explanation: Another tricky word of foreign origin.

Correct Answer: Ecstasy

Explanation: Ends with ‘-sy’, not ‘-cy’.

Correct Answer: Irresistible

Explanation: The suffix is ‘-ible’.

Correct Answer: Pneumonia

Explanation: Starts with a silent ‘p’.

Correct Answer: Receipt

Explanation: Contains a silent ‘p’. ‘ei’ follows ‘c’.

Correct Answer: Scissors

Explanation: Starts with ‘sc’ and has double ‘s’.

Correct Answer: Threshold

Explanation: No double ‘h’. ‘thresh’ + ‘old’.

Correct Answer: Twelfth

Explanation: The ‘f’ is crucial. It comes from ‘twelve’.

Correct Answer: Tyranny

Explanation: Double ‘n’.

Correct Answer: Vengeance

Explanation: The ‘e’ after ‘g’ is important for the soft sound.

Correct Answer: Yacht

Explanation: A word of Dutch origin with a ‘ch’ that sounds like ‘t’.

Correct Answer: Bureaucracy

Explanation: ‘Bureau’ is French for office. Remember the ‘eau’ vowel combination.