Four spellings of the same word are given. Choose the correctly spelt word that means "a shortage" or "insufficiency".

Introduction / Context:
This spelling question tests the learner's knowledge of common English vocabulary related to quantity. The word being tested means a shortage or lack of something, especially when demand is high. Spelling questions are frequent in competitive exams because they check both vocabulary and careful attention to detail, since several options often sound similar when pronounced.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are given five variants of a word: "Scarety," "Scarcity," "Scarsity," "Scarecity," and "Scarcety."
• Only one of these is a correct English spelling.
• The intended meaning is a shortage or an insufficient supply of something, such as water, food, or resources.

Concept / Approach:
The correct English word for a shortage is "scarcity." It is spelled S C A R C I T Y. Many distractor options play with sounds like "scare," "scar," and the suffixes "-city" or "-sity." The key is to recognise that "scarcity" comes from "scarce" (meaning rare or in short supply) plus the noun-forming suffix "-ity." Combining these gives "scarcity," not "scarsity" or "scarcety."

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Recall the base adjective "scarce," which means rare or not plentiful. The related noun is formed by adding the suffix "-ity." Step 2: Attach the suffix correctly: "scarce" minus the silent "e" plus "-ity" becomes "scarcity." Step 3: Check each option letter by letter. "Scarcity" (S C A R C I T Y) matches the known correct spelling. Step 4: Confirm that the other variants either insert extra letters, change vowel patterns, or mix two words, which makes them non-standard and incorrect.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify the spelling "scarcity" by remembering common collocations such as "water scarcity," "food scarcity," and "scarcity of jobs." Dictionaries and textbooks consistently list "scarcity" as the standard noun. None of the other spellings appear in formal English usage with the intended meaning of shortage or insufficient supply.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Option A: "Scarety" replaces "scar" with "scare" and drops the "c" before "ity," which is not a recognised English word. Option C: "Scarsity" looks close but incorrectly uses "sity" instead of "city," and it does not match the standard noun derived from "scarce." Option D: "Scarecity" mixes "scare" and "city," adding an extra "e" and producing a non-standard spelling. Option E: "Scarcety" replaces the "i" in "-ity" with an "e," resulting in a wrong ending that does not follow the usual suffix pattern.

Common Pitfalls:
Many students are misled by pronunciation and try to represent the sound "sir" or "ser" in the middle with different vowel combinations such as "sity," "city," or "sity." Others confuse the related adjective "scarce" with the noun "scarcity" and attempt to write "scarcety" or "scarsity." A good strategy is to memorise families of words: scarce (adjective), scarcity (noun), and scarcely (adverb). Understanding how suffixes like "-ity" convert adjectives to nouns will also help avoid mistakes.

Final Answer:
The correctly spelt word meaning a shortage or insufficiency is Scarcity.