Spelling & One-Word Substitution • Topic 2 of 4
Commonly Misspelt Words
A short list of words causes most spelling errors. Learn the exact letter pattern of each — SSC usually offers three wrong spellings and one right one.
The habitual offenders
| Correct | Trap |
|---|---|
| accommodation | two c's, two m's |
| occurrence | two c's, two r's |
| embarrass | two r's, two s's |
| separate | "there is A RAT in sep-A-R-A-Te" |
| definitely | not "definately" |
| maintenance | "-tenance", not "-tainance" |
| privilege | no "d" |
| committee | double m, t, e |
| conscious | "-scious" |
Look for double letters first. Most of these traps are single-vs-double letters (accommodation, embarrass, committee). When two options differ only in a doubled letter, recall the exact pattern.
✅ Solved examples
1. Correct spelling: accomodation or accommodation?
Accommodation (two c's, two m's).
2. Correct: seperate or separate?
Separate ("there is A RAT in separate").
3. Correct: definately or definitely?
Definitely.
4. Correct: occurence or occurrence?
Occurrence (two c's, two r's).
✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed
1. Correct: embarass or embarrass?
Two r, two s.
—
—
Embarrass
2. Correct: privilege or priviledge?
No d.
—
—
Privilege
3. Correct: maintainance or maintenance?
"-tenance".
—
—
Maintenance
4. Correct: comittee or committee?
Double m, t, e.
—
—
Committee
5. Correct: concious or conscious?
"-scious".
—
—
Conscious
📝 Topic test — 8 questions
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Formula Reference Sheet
This chapter
Spelling rules & cues
| "i before e" | except after c — believe, receive |
|---|---|
| Double the consonant | before -ed/-ing on short-vowel words: stop → stopping |
| Silent letters | know, hour, doubt, psychology |
| One-word sub method | identify the key idea, then recall the term |
SSC reference
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