Word-formation using all given letters: “How many meaningful English words can be formed from the letters L, A, M, E (using each letter exactly once in each word)?”

Introduction / Context:
Alphabet-test questions often ask how many distinct, meaningful English words can be built from a fixed set of letters, with each letter used exactly once per word. Here the letters are L, A, M, and E. The task is not to list every possible permutation, but to count only those permutations that are valid everyday English words.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Available letters: L, A, M, E.
• Each letter must be used once and only once in a word.
• We count only commonly accepted English words (standard dictionary forms).

Concept / Approach:
The total permutations of 4 distinct letters is 4! = 24. However, most permutations will not form valid English words. A practical approach is to reason by known common words and then verify quickly: check typical arrangements around familiar roots like “-ale”, “-eam”, or initial clusters such as “ma-”, “la-”, etc. We then confirm whether each candidate is a recognized dictionary word.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Try “male”: M + A + L + E forms the everyday English noun “male.”2) Try “meal”: M + E + A + L forms “meal,” a very common English noun.3) Try “lame”: L + A + M + E forms “lame,” a standard English adjective.4) Check other permutations briefly: “mael,” “alem,” “amel,” and “mela” are not standard English words in general-use dictionaries, so they are excluded.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can cross-check with a quick mental dictionary scan: all three identified forms (“male,” “meal,” “lame”) are familiar and appear in standard usage across contexts. No other common, four-letter word using each of L, A, M, and E exactly once surfaces in everyday English. As a further consistency check, think about swapping letter positions: unless the arrangement spells a legitimate word found in regular dictionaries, it should not be counted.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• None / One / Two: These underestimate the valid set; we can clearly identify three standard words.
• Four: This overestimates; there is no widely accepted fourth word using all four letters exactly once.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes count non-words (e.g., “mael”) or domain-specific abbreviations. Another mistake is allowing repeated letters or omitting a letter. Remember that the problem demands each letter be used exactly once and the result must be a normal dictionary word, not a proper noun, abbreviation, or archaic/obscure form outside typical test scope.

Final Answer:
Three