Spelling test: Out of the following options, which is the correct spelling of the verb that means to lessen or relieve pain, stress, or difficulty?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks the spelling of a frequently used verb in formal English. The word refers to reducing or easing pain, suffering, or other negative conditions. You will often meet it in essays, reports, and newspaper articles, so it is important to know its standard spelling.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Meaning: to lessen or relieve pain, stress, or difficulty. - Options: Alliviate, Aleviate, Alleviate, Aliviate. - One option uses the correct combination of vowels and consonants.

Concept / Approach:
The correct spelling is "alleviate". The key pattern is "alle" followed by "viate". The double "l" is important, and the vowel sequence is "evi". Variants that use only one "l" or change the vowels are not standard English spellings. Recognising the root "lev", related to lightness (as in "elevate"), can also help you remember the central letters.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the standard spelling in dictionaries is a l l e v i a t e. Step 2: Compare option C "Alleviate" with that spelling; it matches perfectly. Step 3: Option A "Alliviate" has the letters "ivi" instead of "evi", which is incorrect. Step 4: Option B "Aleviate" drops one "l" and also rearranges vowels. Step 5: Option D "Aliviate" also uses the wrong vowel sequence and only one "l". Step 6: Conclude that only option C represents correct spelling.

Verification / Alternative check:
Think of phrases like "alleviate poverty" or "alleviate suffering". If you have seen such phrases in reliable sources, they will almost always use the double "l" form. Linking "alleviate" with "elevate" can also help, since both contain "leva" or "leva" sounding parts. Checking a reputable dictionary would show "alleviate" as the headword, confirming that the exam is testing this exact form.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Alliviate changes the "evi" part to "ivi", which does not match the known root and is not standard. Aleviate removes one "l" and so becomes a misspelling that fails to reflect the correct root form. Aliviate again uses "ivi" and single "l", combining two errors into one non word.

Common Pitfalls:
Because English spelling often does not match pronunciation perfectly, learners may try to spell words exactly as they hear them. In this case, the middle syllable can sound like "lee", leading to confusion between "evi" and "ivi". To avoid mistakes, it is helpful to note the double "l" and the "evi" in writing several times, or to connect the word mentally to phrases you have read, not just pronunciation.

Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word is "Alleviate".