Spell tricky look-alike words

Grade 7 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   [1] The sculptor's newest statute stands in the town square. [2] It shows a local hero known for kindness. [3] A martial arts club will perform at the unveiling. [4] The city marshall will cut the ribbon.

2. 1.

   Bo finds two slips in one paragraph. Which pair of fixes is right?

   • Sentence 1: “statute” to “statue”; sentence 3: “martial” to “marshal”.
   • Sentence 3: “martial” to “marshal”; sentence 4: “marshall” to “marshal”.
   • Sentence 1: “statute” to “stature”; sentence 4: “marshall” to “marshel”.
   • Sentence 1: “statute” to “statue”; sentence 4: “marshall” to “marshal”.

3. Use this

   [1] A newspaper can be held liable if it prints false claims. [2] The paper was sued for liable by a local business. [3] In court, the plaintive described the lost sales. [4] The jury listened closely to both sides.

4. 2.

   Esme finds two slips in one paragraph. Which pair of fixes is right?

   • Sentence 1: “liable” to “libel”; sentence 3: “plaintive” to “plaintiff”.
   • Sentence 2: “liable” to “libble”; sentence 3: “plaintive” to “plaintif”.
   • Sentence 2: “liable” to “libel”; sentence 4: “jury” to “jurry”.
   • Sentence 2: “liable” to “libel”; sentence 3: “plaintive” to “plaintiff”.

5. Use this

   [1] Heavy rain can wreck havoc on a small mountain village. [2] The rescue crew hurried to help families whose homes were damaged. [3] The mayor gave each rescuer a meddle for bravery. [4] Residents promised to rebuild the bridge by spring.

6. 3.

   Jun finds two slips in one paragraph. Which pair of fixes is right?

   • Sentence 2: “whose” to “who's”; sentence 3: “meddle” to “medal”.
   • Sentence 1: “wreck” to “reak”; sentence 3: “meddle” to “mettle”.
   • Sentence 1: “wreck” to “wreak”; sentence 2: “whose” to “who's”.
   • Sentence 1: “wreck” to “wreak”; sentence 3: “meddle” to “medal”.

7. Use this

   A: The coach will ensure that every player has water. B: The coach will assure the team that water is coming.

8. 4.

   Kira compares two sentences. Which explanation fits both?

   • Ensure is used with people and assure is used with things, so the sentences are reversed.
   • Ensure means to make certain something happens; assure means to tell a person that something is true.
   • Both words mean to tell people something, so either one fits either sentence.
   • Assure is a mistaken spelling of ensure, so B should use ensure and be unchanged in meaning.
9. 5.

   A: The continual interruptions slowed the meeting. B: The continuous roar of the waterfall filled the valley. Luz compares two sentences. Which explanation fits both?

   • Continual describes something that never stops, and continuous describes something that happens again and again.
   • Continual describes something that stops and starts again and again; continuous describes something that never stops.
   • Both words mean the same thing, so the writer could swap them without changing either sentence.
   • Continual is used for sounds and continuous is used for people, so the sentences are reversed.
10. 6.

    A: Noah is loath to leave the lake. B: Noah will loathe the long drive home. Milo compares two sentences. Which explanation fits both?

    • Loath, an adjective with no e, means unwilling; loathe, a verb with an e, means to hate.
    • Both words are verbs that mean to hate, so the e at the end of loathe is optional.
    • Loath is a verb that means to hate, and loathe is an adjective that means unwilling.
    • Loath is the past form of loathe, so A talks about earlier time and B about later time.
11. 7.

    A: Tala will lead the team through the gate. B: Tala led the team through the gate yesterday. Noah compares two sentences. Which explanation fits both?

    • Lead is the past form because it ends in d, and led is the form used for future time.
    • Both sentences need lead, because a verb keeps its spelling when the time changes.
    • Led is the name of a metal, so B uses the wrong word for a past action.
    • Lead is the present form of the verb, and led is its past form.
12. 8.

    Pia wants a sentence that says the vendor sells goods by going from house to house. Which one says that?

    • The vendor will pedal homemade soap from door to door.
    • The vendor will petal homemade soap from door to door.
    • The vendor will pedle homemade soap from door to door.
    • The vendor will peddle homemade soap from door to door.
13. 9.

    Tala wants a sentence with each word in its place. Which one has both look-alikes right?

    • The gate swung shut as the horse's uneven gate carried it away.
    • The gate swung shut as the horse's uneven gait carried it away.
    • The gait swung shut as the horse's uneven gait carried it away.
    • The gait swung shut as the horse's uneven gate carried it away.
14. 10.

    Zee wants a sentence with each word in its place. Which one has both look-alikes right?

    • Jun plucked a cord on the guitar and wrapped the chord around the amp.
    • Jun plucked a chord on the guitar and wrapped the cord around the amp.
    • Jun plucked a cord on the guitar and wrapped the cord around the amp.
    • Jun plucked a chord on the guitar and wrapped the chord around the amp.