Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: essences
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This spelling question assesses your ability to recognise the correct standard spelling of common English words. Such questions are very frequent in competitive exams because they quickly test careful reading and familiarity with everyday vocabulary used in writing, reading comprehension, and professional communication.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
To solve spelling questions, it helps to break words into roots and common suffixes, and to recall how they appear in printed texts. In this set, "essences" is the plural of "essence", "blotched" relates to marks or spots, "syllabus" is a list of topics in a course, and "semantic" relates to meaning. Recognising misplaced double consonants or missing letters is the key method for elimination.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine "blottched". The standard spelling of the related adjective is "blotched", with one "t" and one "ch", so this option is incorrect.
Step 2: Check "essences". The singular form is "essence", spelled e s s e n c e. The plural is formed by adding "s", giving "essences", which is correct.
Step 3: Look at "sylabus". The correct spelling is "syllabus", with double "l" and a "y" at the beginning, so "sylabus" is wrong.
Step 4: Review "semmantic". The correct form is "semantic" or "semantics", with only one "m". Therefore "semmantic" is incorrect.
Step 5: Consider "essense". This is a common misspelling. The correct spelling is "essence" with "c e" at the end, not "s e".
Step 6: Since "essences" is the only option that matches the correct standard spelling, it is the right answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can quickly verify by mentally placing each word in a familiar phrase, such as "the essences of different flowers" or "course syllabus". Only "essences" looks correct in print and matches dictionary spelling. Others either have extra letters, missing letters, or incorrect letter combinations, which you would rarely see in reliable books or articles.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Common Pitfalls:
Many learners rely only on how a word sounds, which can mislead them with words like "essence" that have silent letters or unusual patterns. Another pitfall is assuming that double consonants are always required in long words, leading to mistakes like "semmantic". Regular reading and occasional use of a dictionary help build a strong mental image of correct spellings, which is essential for scoring well in such questions.
Final Answer:
The correctly spelled word in the list is essences.
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