About This Quiz
Let's just get one thing out of the way upfront: Spelling these days has gone right down the drain. "WYD," "OMW" and "BRB" have become more commonplace than "What are you doing?," "On my way!," and "Be right back." Why? Well, texting has a lot to do with it. We started trying to send texts on early phones equipped with only numbered keypads. Typing anything very lengthy — it just took too long. (Even a "hello" would require you to punch in, "4433555555666.") Abbreviations just made it simpler to communicate.
Fast-forward to the 2000s and we got smartphones with complete keyboards, but it was too late: We'd already adopted that shorthand way of typing as its own form of language. And, we won't lie: It works. But, as self-professed, certified "word nerds," whatever happened to the days of complete words and full sentences — with punctuation, please?
This quiz won't test your "text speak" (we have one for that, though), but it will test your ability to remember the spelling of common English words. Can you spell the name of the word for baubles on your wrist, neck and ears? What about another term for your hobbies? Maybe you're not a professional, but one of these when it comes to spelling? One thing is sure: We g-u-a-r-a-n-t-e-e you'll have fun with this one!
We thought we'd start with a word that represents this whole quiz — misspell. Did you "misspell" it or get it correct? Double Ss and double Ls can make this a tricky one to get right.
Being able to spell something correctly is one thing, but do you also know its "pronunciation?" Consider it the spoken equivalent of the proper written spelling. Both are important to make you sound extra smart!
You may abbreviate it as "hankie" to avoid having to spell the full thing, but it's always good to know the correct spelling of any word! This one can be tricky because it's usually pronounced without the "D" sound in there.
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That's "Weird Al" Yankovic to you, a man who has been entertaining people with his comedic songs since the mid-1970s. He became famous for tunes like, "Trapped in the Drive-Thru" and "White & Nerdy."
An eye doctor may choose to dilate your eyes in order to better determine the health of your vision. The process of dilation allows components inside the eye to be viewed more clearly and carefully.
If you commit a crime, local prosecutors may present their case to a grand jury, which will decide whether to "indict," or charge, you with a crime. Grand jury indictments are usually applied only to the most serious cases.
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Athletes who play in the NFL, NBA or MLB are professionals for sure. Athletes who play at the collegiate level, while talented, are usually considered amateurs because they don't accept money and may be less skilled.
Today, most of us use a calendar system known as the Gregorian calendar, which follows a 12-month pattern from January to December. There have been plenty of other types of calendars throughout history, though, including the Roman, Julian and Mayan.
We'll let you in on a little secret: A teacher a long time ago gave us a trick to remember how to spell this one. Just remember that there's "a rat" in "separate." Do you see it? Now, use it to help you remember!
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You'd need some pretty tall ceilings to accommodate Shaquille O'Neal. The former NBA superstar clocks in at 7-ft., 1-in. tall and, while we're not ones to judge, he also tips the scale at 320-plus pounds. He's a big man!
Athletes may like to promise their fans a win, but there's no "guarantee" it'll happen! That's why they play the game, after all. It wouldn't be much fun to watch if one team was guaranteed a victory.
Independent voters choose that designation because they don't want to affiliate with either the Republican or Democratic parties. Independent voters are at a disadvantage sometimes, though: They typically cannot vote in primaries.
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If you got this one right, you are "definitely" a word genius! The word "definitely" just means there is no doubt about something. Are you going to have fun finishing this quiz? Definitely!
Jewelry pieces, such as fun bangles, dangly earrings and statement necklaces, are a great way to jazz up any outfit. Most historians believe that the act of wearing jewelry dates all the way back to Cro-Magnon era.
We'll be honest: A library is one of our favorite places. Maybe it's because it's quiet or maybe it's because it's full of books that can transport you to another time and place. Either way, if we ever go missing, start the search there!
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If you know someone as a "millennial," that means they were most likely born in the period of time from the 1980s to the mid-1990s. As a group, they come just after the age range known as Generation X.
You may "pass the time" doing it, but the synonym for the word "hobby" is spelled p-a-s-t-i-m-e. Seems like it's missing a letter (or two), doesn't it? But, it's not. It's correct with just one "S" and one "T."
We hope we didn't trick you with this one! The word "principle" is, in fact, a correct spelling, but the wrong choice for this definition. A "principal" is the one charged with leadership over a school.
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Roosevelt hit the nail on the head with this one! Sometimes, all it takes to get something done is to "believe" that you can do it. The mind is half the battle; the rest is convincing your body to go along with it!
It's another one of those words that appears to have a random letter (this time a "P") in it, but it belongs there! We tend to pronounce this word so that we don't hear the "P," which is why spelling it can be a challenge.
The word "rhythm" is strange-looking, isn't it? It's because, in this case, the "Y" is treated as a vowel; yet, it doesn't look like one! Rhythm is the concept of moving in time with the beat of music.
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It's true; we hate having to use a vacuum, but it's a necessary evil. Speaking of "evil," that's an evil kind of spelling, isn't it? Two "U's" side-by-side gives this word not only an interesting look, but also an unusual sound.
Ah, the great they're/their/there debate! Will it ever end? We'll continue to champion for using the right word in the right case. In this instance, it's "they're," which means "they are."
A "queue" is a line of sorts where you're waiting your turn for something, such as paying for your groceries or getting a new driver's license. With two U's and two E's, it's almost all vowels!
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Schools, governments and even workplaces have groups dedicated to specific purposes, sometimes called committees. A committee may do everything from creating rules to creating new cafeteria options.
Maybe you're already an expert speller, but how's your grammar? The word "grammar" is associated with how sentences are put together. Good grammar, in fact, can make sentences easier to read!
We "sincerely" hope you chose the correct spelling of this one! The word "sincerely" is often used to close business letters, probably because it means that you are trying to convey that you are genuine or real in your feelings.
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Some words have double consonants, some don't, and some have only one — as in the case of "tomorrow." It can be hard to remember whether to include two Ms or two Rs, though. Maybe you'll figure it out ... tomorrow?
There aren't very many things in life that are "necessary": food, water, new shoes. Wait, how'd that last one get in there? We do love us some new shoes, but they certainly aren't essential like the other two.
The term "government" is a bit challenging because of that somewhat silent "N" there in the middle. An easy way to remember to include it is to think about what the government does: It governs!
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If you do something "publicly," be careful: You never know who may be watching! The word "publicly" means, of course, that something is being done out in the open — in public, so to speak.
Sometimes cats and dogs just don't get along. Other times, they simply like to "harass," or pester, one another. The word "harass" actually comes from the French "harer," which means to "set a dog on." Pretty appropriate for our question, wouldn't you say?
It comes smack in between Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, which makes "Hump Day" an appropriate nickname, since you're "over the hump" of the first part of the week. We still live for Fridays, though.
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The word "success" simply means that something favorable has happened. You may be successful at work, at home or in your community. Heck, you may even be successful at finishing this quiz!
Phew! We ended with a tricky one! The word "liaison" is one of those words where its letters look out of place ... even when they aren't! "Liaison" comes from the French and means "to bind."