Can You Spell These Words Without a Spell Checker?

By: Monica Lee
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Spell These Words Without a Spell Checker?
Image: gilaxia/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Let's face it. Once spell check came along, we all got lazy. Why recall how to spell a word when a red squiggly line would alert you that the word was misspelled and a 'right-click" would correct it? What would happen if the spell check on your computer malfunctioned and you had to use your knowledge to ensure you were spelling each word correctly? If that's not a nightmarish thought for you, then this quiz is where you will shine.

We'll give you a word, and you tell us the correct spelling. Or, we'll ask you what letters are missing from the word. Either way, you'll get to test your word recognition, your knowledge of Greek and Latin roots, your capitalization savvy, and the correct homophone to use in a sentence. 

Whether you are an editor, teacher, or simply well-versed in spelling words correctly, you'll easily recognize some of the top misspelled words. But it's just a short sample of hard to spell words, as there are almost 200,000 words in the English language to misspell! This quiz will also give you handy tips for remembering the correct spelling. So try your hand at it without using the spell check function. You'll be prefect ...er...perfect.

"Corect." How would you spell this the right way?
Corect
Correct
Corrict
Correkt
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's embarrassing to get this word wrong when you're trying to correct someone's writing. Remember that "correct" needs two "r's" to be correct.

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This quiz will get harder, but for now, what's wrong with this word: "mispelled?"
Needs another "s"
Needs another "p"
Needs another "s" and "p"
Fine the way it is.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An easy way to remember how to spell "misspelled" is to make sure you have the word "miss" in it, since you've missed spelling it correctly.

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You have the flu. What did the doctor write for you?
Perscription
Prescription
Purcription
Percription
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Prescribe means "to set down authoritatively for direction;" you need both the prefix "pre" and "scribe" or "script," which means to write.

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How would you correct this word, "embarrasing"?
Only one "r"
Add an "s"
Replace an "a" with an "e"
It's fine the way it is.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's embarrassing when you spell this word wrong!

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Which of these words is spelled correctly?
Dissappoint
Disappoint
Disapoint
None of them are correct.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't be disappointed if you get this wrong. Just remember the Latin prefix "dis" means "apart" or having a negative or reversing force.

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Is this word spelled correctly, "greek" (as in the language)?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In English, the names of languages and nationalities are always capitalized.

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How would you correct the spelling of the word, "capitalise"?
It's fine as is.
Capitalize
Capitolize
Capitolise
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The British spelling is "capitalise" but in this quiz only the American English version is accepted, so the correct spelling is "capitalize."

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Which option is the correct way to spell the word?
Aggressive
Agressive
Agresive
Aggresive
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You need to be aggressive with the amount of space this word needs, so add an extra "g" and "s."

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Which answer is the correct spelling of the word?
Buisness
Business
Bizness
Bihness
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just remember that you need to be "busi" to run a business.

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This one could also be embarrassing if you don't get it right. How would you spell "gramer" correctly?
Grammer
Grammar
Gramar
It's fine as is.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grammar has a lot to do with the correct spelling. If you use grammar correctly, you'll know when to capitalize and choose the correct homophone in a sentence.

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"Everyone else wanted an ice cream cone, _____." What word should be in the blank?
2
too
to
All of the above are correct.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A homophone is easy to miss when you are correcting for misspelling. Although the word may sound correct in the sentence, it still is the wrong spelling of the word.

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What is the correct way to spell this word?
Dilemma
Dillemma
Dilemna
Dillemna
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's quite a dilemma. Most people add an "n" in the ending, an "mn" instead of a "mm."

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"The rain in spain stays mainly in the plain." What word in this sentence is misspelled?
Spain
Rain
Plain
All are spelled correctly.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One always capitalizes proper nouns. Spain, whether referring to a country, language or nationality, is always capitalized.

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What is the correct way to spell "accomodate"?
It's fine as is.
Accommodate
Acommodate
Accommadate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You need extra room to accommodate more people. You also need extra letters to spell it right. There are two "c's" and two "m's" in the correct spelling.

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Is "acheive" spelled correctly?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just remember, "i before e except after c," and you'll always spell "achieve" correctly.

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Which answer reveals the correct spelling of the word?
Aparanttly
Apparantly
Aparently
Apparently
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Think of spelling "a parent" with an extra "p" (as in two parents) when you spell this word. This sentence may help you remember: "Apparently, both parents think they have all the answers."

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She _______ his interest in the stock price once he saw the chart.
peaked
piqued
peeked
All of the above are correct.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Piqued" means to arouse, stimulate, interest or excite and is the correct way to spell the word in the above sentence.

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"How bizzare is that?" Are the words in the sentence spelled correctly?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

No matter if your sentence is describing a street market or a weird situation, the word still is spelled "bizarre."

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This person drives you around in a limousine. How do you spell it?
Chauffer
Chauffeur
Chaufeur
Choufeur
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you have the luxury of having someone chauffeur you around, you have the luxury of another "f" and another vowel in the ending of the word (eur).

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Depending on the text that you're reading, you may have seen "colour" spelled this way. Is it correct?
Yes, if the text was not written from someone in the U.S.
No, it is never correct no matter where you are from.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although it may look inaccurate if you’re an American, "colour" is written frequently by people from any of the Commonwealth countries, so the word is grammatically correct. However, if you have to edit for a U.S. audience, it's preferable to use "color."

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Which one of these answers is correctly spelled?
Comittee
Committe
Commitee
Committee
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It might take a committee to get this right. That may be why it needs so many extra letters.

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"The seige was successfull and the Vikings surrendered." Which word(s) are misspelled?
Seige
Seige and successfull
Seige, successfull, and surrendered
All are correct.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Here is the correct spelling: "The siege was successful and the Vikings surrendered."

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If you're going into business for yourself, you're going to be a what?
Entreepeniur
Entrapeniur
Entrepeniour
Entrepreneur
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This one is a hard word to remember; it may be best to simply memorize the correct spelling.

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"Curiousity killed the cat, satisfaction brought him back." Which word is misspelled?
Curiousity
Satisfaction
Misspelled
All the words are correctly spelled.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's an easy mistake since "curious" is spelled with an "uos." But curiosity only has an "os" in it, the "u" is dropped.

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This one might get you hot under the collar. Which spelling is correct?
Farenheit
Farenheight
Faranheight
Fahrenheit
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even though the ending sounds like "height," spell it as "heit" and you won't get hot under the collar due to misspellings.

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We're going to bother you about this one until you get it right. Which one is correct?
Harrassment
Harassment
Harassmment
Harasmment
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Just kidding. We're not going to harass you. When you add "ment" to harass, nothing changes.

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Which word is spelled correctly?
Pharaoh
Pharoah
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Visually, these words look so similar it is easy to miss the one that is misspelled. The correct word is "Pharaoh."

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Even though we need it to speak the words, oftentimes it is spelled incorrectly. Which is the correct spelling?
Tounge
Tongue
Tonge
Tungue
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yes, we talk a ton. So tongue starts with a "ton" and ends with "gue."

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"It's truely a beautiful religous picture." What word(s) are misspelled?
Truely and religous
Truely
Religous
Picture
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The correct sentence is: "It's truly a beautiful religious picture."

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This misspelling happens quite often. Which option is correct?
Occurance
Occurence
Occurrance
Occurrence
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The misspelling of this word occurs far more often than you might think. When one adds "occur" to "ence," another "r" is needed.

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"People who procrasitate have a tendancy to wait for tommorrow." Which word(s) are misspelled?
Procrasitate
Tendancy
Tommorrow
All the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are a lot of misspellings. Here it is correctly written: "People who procrastinate have a tendency to wait for tomorrow."

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"Unfortunatly, there are only a few more questions on this quizz." Which word(s) are misspelled?
Unfortunatly
Questions
Quizz
Unfortunatly and quizz
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The correct spelling is this: "Unfortunately, there are only a few more questions on this quiz."

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What's the "occassion?" Is the event spelled correctly?
Yes
No
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Do not spell it "ocassion" or "occassion." The correct spelling is "occasion."

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If something seems strange, what might you call it?
Wierd
Weird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yes, it's weird, you just need to memorize this one, as there are no hard and fast grammar rules for this word.

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"The man said it was an 18 _____ diamond, but Diana knew better." What word should be in the blank?
Caret
Carat
Carrot
Any of them works in the sentence.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A "caret" is a mark placed below the line to indicate a proposed insertion in a printed or written text, whereas a "carrot" is a vegetable. The correct answer is carat.

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