Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: blotting
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions require you to distinguish between correct and incorrect forms of familiar words. Three of the options in this question contain deliberate spelling errors, while one matches accepted dictionary usage. Accurate spelling is important for exams, professional communication, and academic writing.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The word blotting is correctly formed from the verb blot, meaning to soak up liquid or to stain. Adding the suffix t t i n g follows normal consonant doubling rules after a short vowel. The other options correspond to common words but are misspelt: preecher should be preacher, hygenic should be hygienic, and paralel should be parallel. Recognising the familiar base words helps to identify which spelling is correct.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine preecher. The intended word is preacher, referring to a person who preaches, and is spelled p r e a c h e r, so preecher is incorrect.
Step 2: Look at hygenic. The correct word is hygienic, with i e in the middle and an extra letter, so hygenic is wrong.
Step 3: Inspect paralel. The usual spelling of the related adjective is parallel, with double l in the middle and at the end.
Step 4: Consider blotting. This is a known word, as in blotting paper, and follows proper spelling rules.
Step 5: Conclude that blotting is the only correctly spelt option.
Verification / Alternative check:
Use each word in a simple sentence to see how it feels. Blotting paper is used to absorb ink is correct, and blotting is a familiar term in stationery. Preecher, hygenic, and paralel, however, will look suspicious to anyone who has seen their proper versions in books or on reliable websites. A mental spell checker developed through reading will reject these forms.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Preecher incorrectly doubles the e and replaces the a in preacher. Hygenic drops a key letter and does not match the standard spelling hygienic. Paralel fails to double the l correctly, which is necessary in parallel. All three are examples of typical learner mistakes in spelling.
Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes trust how a word sounds and try to reproduce it phonetically. In English, however, many spellings are influenced by historical forms and are not purely phonetic. A helpful habit is to pay attention to spellings while reading and to write down new or tricky words with correct forms. Over time, this builds strong visual memory and reduces confusion in exam questions.
Final Answer:
blotting is the correctly spelt word among the options.
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