Understand the rule first
Check the word’s meaning and grammatical role before applying a spelling rule. Homophones sound alike but perform different jobs.
Spelling & homophones 11+ practice
Use meaning, word families and spelling patterns to choose the correct form.
Complete: ‘___ planning to visit their grandparents.’
- The sentence means they are planning.
- They are contracts to they’re.
- Their would show possession and there would show place.
A common misconception
Selecting a familiar-looking spelling without rereading the complete sentence.
Reusable method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.Question 1 of 10 EnglishcoreChoose the correct spelling.
- Aneccessary
- Bnecesary
- Cnecessary
- Dnecessery
Need a hint?
Remember one collar and two sleeves: one c, two s letters.
Show worked answer
Answer C: necessary
Necessary is spelled n-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-y.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 2 of 10 EnglishcoreComplete: ‘The dog wagged ___ tail.’
- Ait’s
- Bits’
- Cit is
- Dits
Need a hint?
Choose the possessive form with no apostrophe.
Show worked answer
Answer D: its
Its is the possessive form; it’s means it is.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 3 of 10 EnglishcoreWhich word is spelled correctly?
- Aseparate
- Bseperate
- Cseparete
- Dsepperate
Need a hint?
The middle syllable comes from par, not per.
Show worked answer
Answer A: separate
Separate is the correct spelling.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 4 of 10 Englishexam-styleComplete: ‘The heavy rain did not ___ our decision.’
- Aeffect
- Baffect
- Caffecte
- Defect
Need a hint?
A verb meaning influence begins with a.
Show worked answer
Answer B: affect
Affect is the verb meaning to influence.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 5 of 10 Englishexam-styleWhich spelling correctly completes: ‘The committee reached a final ___.’
- Adecission
- Bdesicion
- Cdecision
- Ddecisian
Need a hint?
Build the noun from decide and listen for the /zhun/ ending.
Show worked answer
Answer C: decision
Decision is spelled d-e-c-i-s-i-o-n.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 6 of 10 EnglishcoreWhich word is spelled correctly?
- Aneccessary
- Bnecessary
- Cnecesary
- Dnecessery
Need a hint?
Remember: one c and two s letters.
Show worked answer
Answer B: necessary
The correct spelling is necessary: ne-ces-sa-ry.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 7 of 10 EnglishcoreChoose the correct words: ‘The school ___ explained its guiding ___.’
- Aprinciple; principal
- Bprincipal; principal
- Cprincipal; principle
- Dprinciple; principle
Need a hint?
One word means head teacher; the other means a rule or belief.
Show worked answer
Answer C: principal; principle
A principal is a head teacher, while a principle is a guiding rule or belief.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 8 of 10 EnglishcoreWhich word is spelled correctly?
- Aacommodation
- Baccomodation
- Caccommadation
- Daccommodation
Need a hint?
The word has two c letters and two m letters.
Show worked answer
Answer D: accommodation
The correct spelling is accommodation.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 9 of 10 EnglishexamWhich sentence uses every highlighted word correctly?
- ATheir journey was delayed because the weather affected the roads.
- BThere journey was delayed because the weather effected the roads.
- CThey’re journey was delayed because the weather affected the roads.
- DTheir journey was delayed because the weather effect the roads.
Need a hint?
Check possession and the verb meaning influenced.
Show worked answer
Answer A: Their journey was delayed because the weather affected the roads.
‘Their’ shows possession, and ‘affected’ is the past-tense verb meaning influenced.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.
Question 10 of 10 EnglishstretchWhich difficult word is spelled correctly?
- Aconsciencious
- Bconscientious
- Cconsientious
- Dconscientous
Need a hint?
Build it from conscience + -tious.
Show worked answer
Answer B: conscientious
The correct spelling is conscientious.
Quick method: Read the complete sentence aloud in your head.