Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Acquisition
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions that use words from business and academic English, like "acquisition", are very common in competitive exams. The word is widely used in phrases such as "mergers and acquisitions" in corporate contexts, and "knowledge acquisition" in education and psychology. Being able to recognise its correct spelling improves both your written English and your ability to understand such topics in reading passages.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- You must identify the correct spelling of "acquisition".
- The options contain small changes in the order of letters, especially vowels and consonants in the middle of the word.
- Only one option reflects the standard dictionary spelling.
Concept / Approach:
The correct spelling is "acquisition". The core sequence to remember is "ac-qui-si-tion", with "qui" in the middle. Common distractors swap "i" and "s", insert extra vowels, or change "sition" to "setion" or similar forms. Recognising the familiar "sition" ending (as in "position", "composition") can help you eliminate wrong forms quickly.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Pronounce the word slowly: "ac-qui-si-tion".
Step 2: Look for this pattern among the options. "Acquisition" (option c) matches each part correctly.
Step 3: Check "Acquisision" (option a), which adds an extra "si" and breaks the standard pattern.
Step 4: "Acqiusition" (option b) places "iu" together incorrectly, "Acquisetion" (option d) alters the "sition" ending, and "Acquisation" (option e) also distorts both the middle and ending.
Verification / Alternative check:
Recall examples from reading: "The company's latest acquisition has strengthened its position in the market" or "Language acquisition is a key topic in child psychology." In all such sentences, the word appears as "acquisition". Consulting dictionaries or exam vocabulary materials will confirm that this is the only accepted spelling, and the other forms are not recognised words in standard English.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- "Acquisision": repeats "si" and makes the word visually clumsy and incorrect.
- "Acqiusition": misplaces vowels, leading to a pattern that does not occur in standard English.
- "Acquisetion": replaces the "i" with "e" in the "-sition" ending, which is not how this family of words is spelt.
- "Acquisation": changes the order of letters in the middle and ending, creating a non-standard variant.
Common Pitfalls:
Long words with "qui" or "qui-si-tion" can easily confuse candidates. A good method is to learn related words together: "acquisition", "requisition", "inquisition", which all share the "quisition" ending. Recognising these patterns will help you avoid errors and pick the right answer quickly during exams.
Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is "Acquisition".
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