Select the option that shows the correctly spelled English word.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: brazened

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question checks spelling skills in English. You are given several similar looking words, and only one of them is correctly spelled. Spelling questions are simple in concept but often tricky in practice because wrong options are designed to look almost correct. Here you must identify the correct spelling among "thorogh", "brazened", "termynus", "adherant", and "brazzened".


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • We assume standard British or international English spelling.
  • All words resemble familiar English words like "thorough", "brazened", "terminus", and "adherent".
  • Exactly one option is correctly spelled and the remaining ones contain deliberate mistakes.


Concept / Approach:
A good way to solve spelling questions is to first recall the correct dictionary form of each familiar word, then compare it with the given options. For example, "thorough" is spelled t h o r o u g h, "terminus" is t e r m i n u s, and "adherent" is a d h e r e n t. The word "brazened" is the past tense of "brazen" and is spelled b r a z e n e d. Any extra letters, missing letters, or wrong vowels usually reveal the incorrect options.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Compare "thorogh" with the familiar word "thorough". The correct spelling has a second "o" before "u g h". The given option misses this letter and is therefore wrong. Step 2: Examine "brazened". The base verb "brazen" ends with "en". The past tense is formed by adding "ed", giving "brazened". The given spelling matches exactly. Step 3: Look at "termynus". The correct spelling is "terminus", with "i" after "m", not "y". Thus this option is incorrect. Step 4: Check "adherant". The related adjective is "adherent", with "e n t", not "a n t". So this is another incorrect spelling. Step 5: Review "brazzened". It has a double "z" in the middle and an extra "z" compared to the base word "brazen". This is not standard spelling. Step 6: Since "brazened" is the only option that exactly matches the standard spelling, it is the correct answer.


Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can form a sentence: "He brazened out the criticism," which uses the past tense of "brazen". Any reliable dictionary will show the form as "brazened". Likewise, dictionaries confirm "thorough", "terminus", and "adherent" as proper spellings, which do not match the distorted forms in the options. The presence of clearly deliberate distortions like "termynus" and "brazzened" further confirms that they are distractors.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Thorogh" omits an essential vowel and does not represent the standard spelling "thorough". "Termynus" uses "y" instead of "i" in the final syllable, which is incorrect for "terminus". "Adherant" wrongly ends with "a n t" instead of "e n t". "Brazzened" uses an unnecessary double "z" and does not correspond to the standard pattern for forming the past tense of "brazen". None of these match recognised English spellings.


Common Pitfalls:
Spelling questions often exploit confusion between similar sounding vowels such as "a" and "e" or "i" and "y". Another pitfall is assuming that adding an extra letter, especially a consonant, always looks more "correct", which is not true. To avoid mistakes, it is helpful to visualise common words in sentences you have read before. Regular reading in English, especially good quality texts, naturally strengthens your sense of correct spelling.


Final Answer:
The correctly spelled word is "brazened".

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