Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Separate
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions test your familiarity with common but often misspelt English words. The word separate is frequently spelled incorrectly by learners because the pronunciation can mislead you about the placement of the vowels. Learning the correct spelling helps you in formal writing, exams, and any context where accurate English usage is important.
Given Data / Assumptions:
The four options are: Separate, Saparate, Saperate, Seperate.
Only one of these is the correct spelling in standard English.
The word separate can be used as both a verb (to separate two things) and an adjective (a separate issue).
We assume standard British or international English spelling, where separate is universally accepted.
Concept / Approach:
The correct spelling of separate uses the vowel pattern e a a: s e p a r a t e. Many incorrect versions mistakenly replace the e in the second syllable with an a, producing seperate, or introduce other wrong vowel sequences. The strategy is to recall or visualise the word as two parts: sep + arate, where sep is like the start of September, followed by arate. Keeping this mental image helps you avoid the common error seperate.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write or visualise the known correct word separate, which has the letters S E P A R A T E.
Step 2: Compare option A, Separate. It matches the correct sequence exactly, with e after S, then p, then a r a t e.
Step 3: Compare option B, Saparate. This uses a in the second position instead of e, producing s a p a r a t e, which is incorrect.
Step 4: Compare option C, Saperate. Here we see s a p e r a t e, which again misplaces the vowels; there is an a where e should be and an e where a should be.
Step 5: Compare option D, Seperate. This spelling, s e p e r a t e, is extremely common as a mistake but is still wrong; the correct second vowel should be a, not e.
Step 6: Therefore, Separate (option A) is the only correctly spelt form.
Verification / Alternative check:
As a memory trick, note that separate contains the word par in the middle, like a golf term, with an extra a: sep + a + rate. This structure ensures you remember the e first and then two a letters. When you check dictionaries or spell checkers, only separate is accepted; the others are flagged as errors. This confirms that option A is the correct spelling.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Saparate confuses the initial vowel and does not match the standard spelling in any variety of English.
Saperate shuffles the vowels and does not appear in dictionaries; it is a typical phonetic guess, not a correct form.
Seperate mirrors the pronunciation for many speakers but is still incorrect; exam setters often use it because it is a very common real-world mistake.
Common Pitfalls:
Candidates often rely too heavily on sound rather than visual memory when spelling. Because separate is pronounced with a schwa sound in the second syllable, it is easy to mishear the vowel as e and write seperate. To avoid this, consciously remember the phrase There is a rat in separate, which highlights the a r a sequence and fixes the correct vowels in your mind.
Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is Separate (option A).
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