Next CSE-PPT: 14 March 2027 · Professional & Subprofessional
Civil Service Exam clerical and verbal reviewer with 20 more commonly misspelled words, such as harass, threshold, perseverance, noticeable, entrepreneur, surveillance and publicly, each with a memory tip.
This set adds twenty more commonly misspelled words that appear in office writing, news and reports. Each item gives the meaning, four spellings and a short explanation or memory aid for the correct form.
The words are different from those in our earlier spelling sets. Say each word in syllables as you write it, and note the trouble spot: a doubled letter, a silent letter or an ending such as -ance, -ence, -able or -ible.
Correct answer: A. Harass
The correct spelling is "Harass". It has one r and a double s: har-ass. Compare "embarrass", which has a double r and a double s; mixing the two words is a common source of error.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. Threshold
The correct spelling is "Threshold". Although it joins "thresh" and "hold" in sound, it is written with only one h in the middle: thres-hold.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. Perseverance
The correct spelling is "Perseverance". It comes from "persevere", with no r after the first e, and ends in -ance, not -ence: per-se-ver-ance.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. Noticeable
The correct spelling is "Noticeable". Keep the e of "notice" before -able, because it keeps the c soft (like s). The same rule gives "changeable" and "manageable".
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. Conscience
The correct spelling is "Conscience". Conscience is "con" + "science": con-science. Do not confuse it with "conscious", meaning awake or aware.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. Entrepreneur
The correct spelling is "Entrepreneur". It is a French word: entre-pre-neur. Note the r after the second p, and the ending -eur.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. Surveillance
The correct spelling is "Surveillance". It has a double l and ends in -ance: sur-veil-lance. The word comes from the French "surveiller", to watch over.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. Indispensable
The correct spelling is "Indispensable". It ends in -able, like "dispensable". Words ending in -ible and -able sound the same, so they must be memorised.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. Cemetery
The correct spelling is "Cemetery". All three vowels after the m are e: ce-me-te-ry. Remember that only the letter e appears between the m, t and r.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. Publicly
The correct spelling is "Publicly". It is one of the few adverbs from an -ic adjective that ends in -icly rather than -ically. Compare "basically" and "specifically", which do use -ally.
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. Rhythm
The correct spelling is "Rhythm". It has two h's and no vowel other than y: r-h-y-t-h-m. A memory aid: "Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move".
Read detailsCorrect answer: B. Acquaintance
The correct spelling is "Acquaintance". It begins with "acq", like "acquire", and ends in -ance: ac-quain-tance. Compare "acquit" and "acquaint", which share the "acq" spelling.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. Irrelevant
The correct spelling is "Irrelevant". It is "ir-" + "relevant", so it has a double r, and it ends in -ant: ir-rel-e-vant.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. Mischievous
The correct spelling is "Mischievous". It has three syllables, mis-chie-vous, and no i before -ous. "Mischievious" with an extra i is a very common misspelling.
Read detailsCorrect answer: A. Possession
The correct spelling is "Possession". It has two sets of double s: pos-ses-sion. The verb "possess" also has two double s's.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. Transferred
The correct spelling is "Transferred". When a verb ends in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant before -ed: transfer → transferred, refer → referred.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. Accidentally
The correct spelling is "Accidentally". The adverb is formed from "accidental" + -ly, so it ends in -ally: ac-ci-den-tal-ly.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. Apparent
The correct spelling is "Apparent". It has a double p and ends in -ent: ap-par-ent. Linking it to "appear" helps you remember the double p.
Read detailsCorrect answer: D. Tariff
The correct spelling is "Tariff". It has one r and a double f: ta-riff. The Bureau of Customs collects tariffs on imported goods.
Read detailsCorrect answer: C. Vacuum
The correct spelling is "Vacuum". It has one c and a double u: vac-u-um. It is one of very few English words with "uu". Remember: one c, two u's.
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