Four words are given, out of which only one word is spelt correctly. Choose the correctly spelt word from the alternatives given.

Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions are a common feature of English language sections in competitive exams. They test your familiarity with standard written forms of words, especially those that have tricky vowel sequences or consonant clusters. In this question, you are asked to identify the correctly spelt word among four similar-looking options related to the word "sanctuary".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The instruction is to find the correctly spelt word.
• Options: Sanctaries, Sanctauries, Santuaries, Sanctuaries.
• All options appear to be plural forms of "sanctuary".
• We assume standard British/International English spelling.

Concept / Approach:
The singular word "sanctuary" (a safe place, especially for animals or worship) has the plural form "sanctuaries". The tricky part is the sequence of letters "ctu" and the vowel pattern "aries" at the end. Several wrong options deliberately alter these parts to confuse you. The logical approach is to recall the correct spelling of "sanctuary" and then apply the regular plural formation, changing "y" to "ies" after a consonant.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the singular form "sanctuary": s a n c t u a r y. Step 2: Form the plural of a noun ending in consonant + y by changing "y" to "ies": sanctuary → sanctuaries. Step 3: Check option D: "Sanctuaries". This matches the expected pattern: sanctu + aries. Step 4: Check option A: "Sanctaries". It drops the "u" after "ct", producing an incorrect form. Step 5: Check option B: "Sanctauries". Here, the order of vowels "u" and "a" is disturbed; correct spelling is "tua", not "tau". Step 6: Check option C: "Santuaries". This loses the "c" and changes "sanct" to "sant", again incorrect. Step 7: Conclude that only "Sanctuaries" is correctly spelt.

Verification / Alternative check:
In many contexts, for example wildlife sanctuaries and bird sanctuaries, you will see signs and articles using the spelling "sanctuaries". Dictionaries and spell-check tools recognise "sanctuaries" as the correct plural form and mark "Sanctaries", "Sanctauries" and "Santuaries" as errors. This cross-check confirms that option D is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Sanctaries: Missing the letter "u" after "ct"; correct cluster is "ctu".
• Sanctauries: Uses "tau" instead of the correct "tua", distorting the base word "sanctuary".
• Santuaries: Drops the "c", changing "sanct" to "sant"; this no longer reflects the original word.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners often rely on approximate sound when choosing spellings, but English orthography is not strictly phonetic. In "sanctuary", the "ctu" combination is easy to mis-hear and miswrite, leading to forms like "santuary" or "sanctary". To avoid such mistakes, mentally break the word into meaningful parts: "sanct" (holy) + "uary". Once you know the correct singular, applying standard plural rules becomes straightforward.

Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is Sanctuaries.