Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Loopholes
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Spelling questions in competitive English exams test your familiarity with common words that frequently appear in reading passages, legal documents, and newspaper articles. The word in focus here describes small gaps, weaknesses, or openings in a rule or system that can be used to gain an advantage. Because spellings of double letters and vowel combinations can be confusing, exam setters often provide several closely related incorrect forms. Your task is to recognise which spelling matches the standard accepted English form that you would find in a good dictionary and in professional writing.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The main idea in this question is visual recognition of correct spelling. The correct word is commonly written as loopholes, where loop is followed by holes. It contains a double o only once, in loop, and then the normal spelling of holes. Spelling mistakes usually occur when candidates double the wrong consonant, remove an o, or shift letters around. Therefore, a systematic approach is to compare each option with the known standard form loopholes. Any additional letters, missing letters, or unnecessary doubling can be grounds for elimination. Paying close attention to the sequence of vowels and consonants will lead you to the correct answer.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Verification / Alternative check:
An alternative way to verify your choice is to imagine the word in a sentence, such as the lawyer used several loopholes in the contract. When you visualise that sentence, the spelling loopholes appears natural and familiar. If you try replacing it with any of the other options, like lopholes or looppholes, the words look awkward and unfamiliar. You can also mentally check against similar words like loop and hole to confirm that the spelling is consistent. Both mental imagery and comparison with root words support the conclusion that the correct spelling is loopholes with a single pair of o and no unnecessary double consonants.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lopholes is incorrect because it removes one o from the first syllable and does not match the root word loop. Luppholes is wrong because it replaces the double o with a double p, which breaks the correct pattern and does not resemble the original word. Lupholes is also incorrect because it changes the vowel sequence and loses the double o that is essential to the word loop. Looppholes introduces an unnecessary double p, creating an unusual cluster that is not used in standard English. All of these forms deviate from the established spelling found in dictionaries and professional usage.
Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to pay more attention to pronunciation than to the visual structure of the word. Because the sound of loopholes is smooth and quick, learners sometimes forget the exact placement of double letters. Another pitfall is overcorrecting and adding extra consonants in an attempt to make the spelling look more complex. In spelling questions, complexity is not a sign of correctness. The best strategy is to rely on your reading experience, recall how the word appears in newspapers, books, and articles, and then match that memory with the options given. Regular reading gradually fixes the correct visual form in your mind and reduces spelling errors in exams.
Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word among the options is Loopholes.
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