Double letters, sneaky vowels and the its vs it's trap: 10 words English loves to misspell.
Each question shows four spellings or phrasings, and only one is right. The wrong ones are misspelled on purpose, so trust your eye and don't second-guess yourself into a mistake.
Pick your level
English spelling doesn't play fair. The rules have exceptions, the exceptions have exceptions, and autocorrect has quietly done our remembering for years. Then one day you write "definately" in an email, someone notices, and the word looks wrong for the rest of your life.
This quiz collects ten of the most misspelled words and mix-ups in the language: definitely, separate, accommodate, the their-there-they're triangle, its versus it's, and more. Every question comes with a short explanation or a memory trick, so even the ones you miss should stick for good this time.
All ten easy level questions, with the answer and the reasoning behind it.
Correct answer: friend
Friend, with i before e.
Correct answer: because
Because, with 'au' in the middle.
Correct answer: beautiful
Beautiful, with 'eau' and one l at the end.
Correct answer: You're my best friend.
You're, short for you are.
Correct answer: Their house is very big.
Their, showing that the house belongs to them.
Correct answer: It is too hot today.
Too, meaning excessively.
Correct answer: mice
Mice, unless you are talking about computer ones, where both are heard.
Correct answer: went
Went, one of the great irregular verbs of English.
Correct answer: children
Children, with no extra s.
Correct answer: Wednesday
Wednesday, from Woden's day, silent d included.
Want to warm up before playing or double-check something? Open any question to reveal the correct answer and a short explanation.
Correct answer: definitely
Look for the word "finite" hiding inside: de-finite-ly. There is no letter a anywhere in it.
Correct answer: separate
There is "a rat" in separate: sep-a-rat-e. This little rodent has rescued generations of spellers.
Correct answer: They're going to love this gift.
They're is short for "they are". Their shows possession and there points to a place. If "they are" fits, the apostrophe belongs.
Correct answer: The dog wagged its tail.
Its is the possessive, just like his or hers, and takes no apostrophe. It's only ever means "it is" or "it has".
Correct answer: weird
Weird breaks the famous "i before e" rule, which is exactly why so many people spell it wrong. Weird is, well, weird.
Correct answer: accommodate
Accommodate is a generous word: it has room for two c's and two m's. If it looks a bit too long, it's probably right.
Correct answer: necessary
A classic trick: a shirt has one collar and two sleeves, so necessary has one c and two s's.
Correct answer: receive
This one actually follows the rule: i before e, except after c. After the c in receive, the e comes first.
Correct answer: embarrassed
Embarrassed doubles both the r and the s. Think of it this way: when you're embarrassed, everything feels doubled.
Correct answer: occurrence
Occurrence doubles the c and the r, and it ends in -ence, not -ance. Three traps in a single word, which is why it trips up so many people.
Stuck on one, or just curious how nasty it gets? Every hard mode question is here with its answer and the reasoning behind it.
Correct answer: millennium
Millennium, with two ls and two ns.
Correct answer: conscience
Conscience, with 'science' hidden inside.
Correct answer: The rain affected our plans.
Affected, the verb. Effect is usually the noun.
Correct answer: To whom it may concern.
Whom, because it follows the preposition to.
Correct answer: There were fewer people today.
Fewer, for things you can count.
Correct answer: rhythm
Rhythm, which manages without a single standard vowel.
Correct answer: liaison
Liaison, with two is, borrowed straight from French.
Correct answer: I lay on the sofa yesterday.
Lay, the past tense of lie. Laid is the past of lay, which needs an object.
Correct answer: The school principal spoke first.
Principal, the person. A principle is a rule or belief.
Correct answer: mischievous
Mischievous, with three syllables and no extra i.