Select the word with the correct spelling from the following options.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: snatched

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question checks your ability to identify standard English spelling among several similar-looking words. Spelling accuracy is important not only in exams, but also in professional emails, reports and competitive writing tasks. Here, three of the options contain deliberate spelling errors, and you must select the one correctly spelled word.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Instruction: "Select the word with the correct spelling."
  • Options: snatched, litigat, abhored, variabely.
  • All four options look like real English words or close to them.
  • Only one matches its dictionary spelling.


Concept / Approach:
The four options appear to be based on "snatched", "litigate", "abhorred", and "variably". The approach is to recognise the correctly formed word and eliminate those that show clear omissions or wrong letters. Regular exposure to written English helps you build a mental image of common words. Comparing each option to that mental dictionary will reveal which one is correct.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine "snatched". This is the past tense form of "snatch", meaning to grab quickly. Correct spelling is s n a t c h e d. The option exactly matches this form. Step 2: Examine "litigat". It appears to be a truncated version of "litigate", which means to bring a lawsuit. Correct spellings would be "litigate" or "litigated", not "litigat". Missing the final "e" or "ed" indicates incorrect spelling. Step 3: Examine "abhored". This seems based on "abhorred", which is the past tense and past participle of "abhor". The correct form has a double "r": a b h o r r e d. Here, "abhored" lacks one "r" and so is wrong. Step 4: Examine "variabely". It looks like "variably", an adverb from "variable". The correct spelling is v a r i a b l y, without an extra "e" before "l". "Variabely" contains a misplaced "e" and is incorrect. Step 5: Conclude that "snatched" is the only correctly spelled word.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify quickly by recalling typical usage. "Snatched" appears regularly in news or stories ("The thief snatched her bag.") and always uses this spelling. Looking at dictionaries or spell-check tools will show that "litigat", "abhored", and "variabely" are flagged as incorrect, while "snatched" passes without error. This confirms our selection.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • litigat: Incomplete verb; missing final "e". Correct is "litigate".
  • abhored: Incorrect because "abhor" doubles the "r" in the past form: "abhorred".
  • variabely: The extra "e" breaks the normal pattern. The correct adverb is "variably".


Common Pitfalls:
Examinees sometimes assume that the more complex word must be correct, or they are misled by pronunciation and guess that more vowels are needed. English spelling does not always follow a simple sound-letter rule, so relying on sound alone can mislead you. Regular reading and notice of how words are spelled in authentic texts is the best way to avoid such traps. In an exam, compare each option with a word form you genuinely recognise rather than choosing by length or appearance alone.


Final Answer:
The correctly spelled word is snatched.

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