English Language

Spelling and Odd One Out

193 Questions

Spelling and odd one out questions require identifying correctly and incorrectly spelt words. These problems test orthographic standardization and vocabulary depth. This section is critical for English language proficiency in banking and administrative exams.

Correct spelling identificationOdd one outVocabulary buildingOrthographic rulesError detection

Spelling and Odd One Out Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick the odd one out.

Diagnosis, paralysis, axis, emphasis, alibis

  1. Diagnosis

  2. Paralysis

  3. Axis

  4. Emphasis

  5. Alibis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The four words - diagnosis, paralysis, axis, and emphasis– follow the same rule while forming the plurals (change –is into –es) Thus, the plural forms of these words are - diagnoses, paralyses, axes and emphases. The word ‘alibis’ is an odd one here since it is already in the plural form. The word ‘alibis’ is the plural of the noun – alibi.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick the odd one out.

Aquarium, decorum, medium, bacterium, memorandum

  1. Aquarium

  2. Decorum

  3. Medium

  4. Bacterium

  5. Memorandum
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The four words - aquarium, medium, bacterium, and memorandum – follow the same rule while forming the plurals (by changing –um into –a). Thus, the correct plural forms of these words are - aquaria, media, bacteria and memoranda. (Though – aquariums, mediums and memorandums are also accepted.)The word ‘decorum’, though ending in –um, does not follow this rule of changing –um into -a. It forms the plural by adding –s.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick the odd one out.

Oasis, analysis, khakis, basis, crisis

  1. Oasis

  2. Analysis

  3. Khakis

  4. Basis

  5. Crisis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The four words - oasis, analysis, basis, and crisis – follow the same rule while forming the plurals (by changing –is of the singular into -es). Thus, the plural forms of these words are - oases, analyses, bases and crises. The word ‘khakis’ is the odd one here since it is already in the plural form (khaki – khakis) and is not related to the rule mentioned above.

Multiple choice

Directions: Pick the odd one out.

Valley, melody, territory, canopy, army

  1. Valley

  2. Melody

  3. Territory

  4. Canopy

  5. Army
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Correct. The four words - melody, territory, canopy, and army – follow the same rule while forming the plurals (by changing –y into –ies). (Rule: If the singular noun ends with -y and the -y has a consonant before it, change the -y into -ies to form the plural.) Thus, the plural forms of these words are – melodies, territories, canopies and armies. The word ‘valley’ is the odd one here since it ends with –y but has a vowel before the -y. In such a case, the plural is formed by simply adding –s to the singular noun.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'desturbances'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.
A star is a heavenly (1) body which shines by its own light. Planets, as you know, shine only by light reflected (2) from the sun. The planets shine with a steady (3) light and the stars twinkle. This twinkling is caused by desturbances (4) in the air between the star and the earth. The unsteady air bends the light from the star, which then appears to tremble (5). Stars differ greatly (6) in size, density and temperature. At one end (7), there are stars called “red super-giants,” which are many times (8) larger than our sun (which is also a star). At the other end, there are stars called “white dwarfs,” some of which are about the size of our earth.

  1. desturbancis

  2. distarbences

  3. desturbences

  4. disturbances
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct spellings are 'disturbances'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'preatiness'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option from each list according to the corresponding number in the passage.
A candle's beauty is not preatiness (1) of colour or shape, but rather (2) something else: "Not the best-looking thing, but the best-acting thing." A candle taps (3) all of the known laws of the universe.
The heat of the flame melts the wax and draws up (4) currents of air to cool the wax at the periphery, thus creating a cup (5) for the molten wax, which remains horizontal thanks (6) to gravity - "the same force of gravity which holds worlds together". Capillary action draws the melted wax up the wick from cup to flame, while the flame's heat triggers (7) a chemical reaction in the wax that sustains (8) the flame.

  1. prittiness

  2. pretiness

  3. pretyness

  4. prettiness
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct spellings are 'prettiness'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'pureifys'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

The Hydrosphere is an imaginary (1) sphere. However, its importance is not imaginary. The hydrosphere contains all the water that is above, below, or upon the surface of the earth. It also includes (2) the water inside plants and animals. The larger part of the earth's hydrosphere is salt water. The water cycle pureifys (3) the atmosphere and surface water by removing (4) pollutants. It (5) supplies usable water to living things on land. It does so by purifying the saltwater of the oceans and by turning (6) it into fresh water. All life thus depends upon an "active hydrosphere." That means an intact or undamaged hydrosphere with a running (7) water cycle. Since all living things use water inside their bodies, an active hydrosphere and life travel hand in hand (8).

  1. purefies

  2. purifys

  3. purifies

  4. puriefys
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The correct spellings are 'purifies'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of ‘becoze’?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

All life forms need (1) air and water. They are very important for living things. We can feel air all around us, but we cannot see or hold it. That's becoze (2) air is made up of gases. Gases are stuff (3) like steam, but they are so light that you cannot see or touch them. Some gases mixed in air are very important for life. We also find them in water when air mixes (4) with water. That happens whenever air touches water. Living things get these gases by taking in (5) either air or water. They drive out (6) harmful gases and things from their bodies with the air or water they pass out. The air and water flowing (7) in and out of living things keep the clock of life (8) ticking inside them.

  1. becoz

  2. beacose

  3. because

  4. beacaus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

(3) The correct spellings are 'because'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'desturbances'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

A star is a heavenly (1) body which shines by its own light. Planets, as you know, shine only by light reflected (2) from the sun. The planets shine with a steady (3) light and the stars twinkle. This twinkling is caused by desturbances (4) in the air between the star and the earth. The unsteady air bends the light from the star, which then appears to tremble (5). Stars differ greatly (6) in size, density and temperature. At one end (7), there are stars called “red super-giants,” which are many times (8) larger than our sun (which is also a star). At the other end, there are stars called “white dwarfs,” some of which are about the size of our earth.

  1. desturbancis

  2. distarbences

  3. desturbences

  4. disturbances
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct spellings are 'disturbances'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'preatiness'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option from each list according to the corresponding number in the passage.
A candle's beauty is not preatiness (1) of colour or shape, but rather (2) something else: "Not the best-looking thing, but the best-acting thing." A candle taps (3) all of the known laws of the universe.
The heat of the flame melts the wax and draws up (4) currents of air to cool the wax at the periphery, thus creating a cup (5) for the molten wax, which remains horizontal thanks (6) to gravity - "the same force of gravity which holds worlds together". Capillary action draws the melted wax up the wick from cup to flame, while the flame's heat triggers (7) a chemical reaction in the wax that sustains (8) the flame.

  1. prittiness

  2. pretiness

  3. pretyness

  4. prettiness
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The correct spellings are 'prettiness'.