Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Liaison
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions in English tests check a learner's familiarity with commonly confused words, especially those borrowed from other languages. The word examined here is liaison, which is frequently used in formal and professional contexts to mean a link, coordination, or communication between individuals or groups. In such questions, three distractor options are given with small spelling changes that can confuse an unprepared candidate.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The word liaison comes from French and retains a somewhat unusual pattern of vowels. In standard English, the word is spelled liaison with the sequence l i a i s o n. The key is to remember that there are two consecutive vowel groups, ia and io, inside the word, and that it does not contain an additional final e. When dealing with such items, it helps to visualize the word as it appears in formal documents, news articles, and professional communication.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the common usage of the word as in liaison officer or to maintain liaison with clients.
Step 2: Visualize the correct pattern of letters: l i a i s o n.
Step 3: Examine option A, Laison, which omits one letter i and therefore does not match the standard pattern.
Step 4: Examine option B, Liaison, which matches the remembered pattern exactly.
Step 5: Examine option C, Lieison, where the vowel group e i is incorrect and differs from the established spelling.
Step 6: Examine option D, Liaisone, which incorrectly adds an extra final e and does not correspond to the accepted spelling.
Step 7: Conclude that Liaison is the only correctly spelt variant.
Verification / Alternative check:
A quick dictionary or memory check confirms that formal documents and reputable sources always use liaison when referring to a communications link or intermediary person. The double vowel pattern ia and io is typical of its French origin, and no extra letters are inserted at the end. This confirmation further supports the selection of Liaison as the correct spelling, while the other options are simply distractions created by rearranging or modifying the vowel cluster.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Laison is wrong because it drops the second i and so does not follow the original spelling. Lieison replaces the ia pattern with ei, which is not standard for this word. Liaisone adds an unnecessary final e, which is not present in the accepted English form. Each incorrect option shows a common type of spelling error: omission of a vowel, substitution of vowel sequence, or addition of an unnecessary letter.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners often confuse liaison with other words that use the pattern ea or ei and may assume that English does not use such a sequence as ia i in the middle of a word. Additionally, because the pronunciation of liaison may not clearly signal every vowel, some letters are easily forgotten. To avoid these mistakes, students should note that many French derived words keep unusual vowel arrangements and should be memorized as whole shapes rather than sounded out purely phonetically.
Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is Liaison.
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