In the following question, four spellings of the same word are given. Out of these, select the correctly spelt word.

Introduction / Context:
This spelling question presents four variations of a word and asks the learner to choose the correctly spelt form. Spelling items help test a student's familiarity with common English patterns, especially how verbs form their present participle or continuous form. The base verb here is "bereave".

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Options: "bereaving", "bereaveing", "bereving", "bireaving".
• The intended word is the present participle or continuous form of the verb "bereave", which means to deprive someone of a loved one through death.
• English spelling rules about removing final "e" before adding "-ing" apply.

Concept / Approach:
The verb "bereave" ends with a silent "e". When forming the "-ing" or present participle, the usual English rule is to drop the final silent "e" and then add "-ing". Therefore, "bereave" becomes "bereaving". The other options introduce extra letters, change vowel order, or keep the "e" in an incorrect way, which breaks standard spelling rules.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the base verb as "bereave". Step 2: Recall the rule for verbs ending in silent "e": drop the "e" and add "ing" to form the present participle. Step 3: Apply the rule: "bereave" minus "e" gives "bereav", plus "ing" gives "bereaving". Step 4: Examine "bereaveing": this keeps the extra "e" and forms "bereaveing", which is not standard spelling. Step 5: Examine "bereving": this removes the "a" and changes the structure of the word, which is incorrect. Step 6: Examine "bireaving": this introduces "i" at the beginning instead of "e", which again is wrong. Step 7: Conclude that "bereaving" is the only correctly spelt form.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar verbs such as "leave" becoming "leaving", "believe" becoming "believing", and "achieve" becoming "achieving". All these follow the same rule of dropping the final silent "e" and adding "ing". "Bereave" follows the same pattern, which strongly supports "bereaving" as the correct spelling. None of the other options match known spelling patterns for such verbs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Bereaving: Correct spelling derived from "bereave" by dropping "e" and adding "ing".
• Bereaveing: Incorrect because it keeps the extra "e", which is normally dropped before adding "ing".
• Bereving: Incorrect because it removes the letter "a" and alters the recognised base "bereave".
• Bireaving: Incorrect because it starts with "bi" instead of "be", changing the root entirely.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes overgeneralise from words like "seeing" or "fleeing", where the "e" remains due to pronunciation needs. However, for verbs like "leave" and "bereave", only the final silent "e" is dropped and "ing" is added. Another pitfall is not recognising the base verb and trying to choose the most "complicated" spelling. Focusing on standard rules and known patterns helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is bereaving.