Spell tricky look-alike words

Grade 8 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   [1] In her speech about perseverance, the principal made an illusion to the tortoise and the hare. [2] Most listeners smiled, since the fable is familiar to nearly everyone in the gym. [3] The comparison was apt, because the senior class had trained for months before the regional meet. [4] Her closing remarks stressed that steady effort often defeats quick talent. [5] Afterward, several students said the story had affected their plans for the spring.

2. 1.

   Ari proofreads a paragraph about a speech. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

   • Sentence 1: change “illusion” to “allusion”.
   • Sentence 3: change “meet” to “meat”.
   • Sentence 1: change “principal” to “principle”.
   • Sentence 5: change “affected” to “effected”.

3. Use this

   [1] The school board voted to censor the superintendent for approving the budget without a hearing. [2] Several members insisted that the vote was a reprimand, not a punishment. [3] Nobody suggested removing the superintendent, who has served the district for eleven years. [4] The board did agree, however, that future spending would be discussed in open session. [5] Newspaper editors praised the decision and urged residents to attend the next meeting.

4. 2.

   Bo proofreads a paragraph about a school board. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

   • Sentence 5: change “praised” to “prized”.
   • Sentence 4: change “board” to “bored”.
   • Sentence 1: change “approving” to “improving”.
   • Sentence 1: change “censor” to “censure”.

5. Use this

   [1] A good reader does not simply repeat what a text says; a good reader learns to imply meaning from clues. [2] In the first chapter, the narrator never states that the house is empty. [3] Instead, the dust on the furniture and the silence in every room suggest it. [4] Readers who notice such details can predict the mood of the chapters that follow. [5] The author's tone also affects how quickly the tension builds.

6. 3.

   Esme proofreads a paragraph about reading skills. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

   • Sentence 1: change “simply” to “simple”.
   • Sentence 5: change “affects” to “effects”.
   • Sentence 1: change “imply” to “infer”.
   • Sentence 3: change “dust” to “dusk”.

7. Use this

   [1] Records show that thousands of families chose to emigrate to the United States each month in 1892. [2] Many arrived at ports where officials checked their documents and asked about their health. [3] Those who passed inspection could continue their journeys by train. [4] The newcomers' letters home described crowded cities and unfamiliar customs. [5] Historians use these letters to understand how the journey affected family life.

8. 4.

   Jun proofreads a paragraph about immigration. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

   • Sentence 5: change “affected” to “effected”.
   • Sentence 1: change “chose” to “choose”.
   • Sentence 3: change “passed” to “past”.
   • Sentence 1: change “emigrate” to “immigrate”.

9. Use this

   [1] After the team lost three games in a row, the coach worried about the players' moral. [2] Practices had become quiet, and few players joked or cheered during drills. [3] The coach decided to hold a team dinner at which every player could speak freely. [4] Over pasta and salad, the seniors reminded everyone that one season does not define a program. [5] By the next game, the mood in the locker room had visibly improved.

10. 5.

    Kira proofreads a paragraph about a losing team. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 3: change “hold” to “whole”.
    • Sentence 1: change “moral” to “morale”.
    • Sentence 2: change “quiet” to “quite”.
    • Sentence 1: change “players'” to “players”.

11. Use this

    [1] The mayor warned that careless rumors online could insight panic during the storm. [2] City workers asked residents to rely only on official updates. [3] A phone line was staffed around the clock to answer questions about road closings. [4] Volunteers also checked on elderly neighbors who lacked reliable power. [5] By morning, the number of false reports had dropped dramatically. [6] Officials thanked everyone for their patience.

12. 6.

    Milo proofreads a paragraph about a storm. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 3: change “road” to “rode”.
    • Sentence 1: change “insight” to “incite”.
    • Sentence 1: change “careless” to “carelessly”.
    • Sentence 2: change “rely” to “reply”.

13. Use this

    [1] The final scene of the play builds slowly toward a climatic confrontation between two old friends. [2] Early in the first act, the audience learns that a secret has divided them for years. [3] The director uses lighting to hint at tension, dimming the stage as the argument grows. [4] In the last moment, one friend finally offers an apology and the lights return. [5] Critics have praised the production for its restraint and for its honest ending.

14. 7.

    Noah proofreads a paragraph about a play. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 1: change “scene” to “seen”.
    • Sentence 3: change “lighting” to “lightning”.
    • Sentence 5: change “its” to “it's”.
    • Sentence 1: change “climatic” to “climactic”.

15. Use this

    [1] During the field trip, our class toured the domed capital where the state senate meets. [2] A guide explained that the dome was restored in the 1990s after years of water damage. [3] She also pointed out the gallery, from which visitors may watch debates quietly. [4] We learned that each senator represents a district and votes on laws for the whole state. [5] On the bus home, students compared notes and wrote questions for a class discussion.

16. 8.

    Pia proofreads a paragraph about a field trip. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 3: change “gallery” to “galley”.
    • Sentence 1: change “capital” to “capitol”.
    • Sentence 2: change “dome” to “doom”.
    • Sentence 1: change “senate” to “senet”.

17. Use this

    [1] Volunteers will canvas the neighborhood on Saturday, asking residents about the proposed park. [2] Each team will carry a clipboard, a map and a short list of questions. [3] The results will be presented to the city council in a public meeting next month. [4] Organizers hope the survey will reveal whether most residents prefer playground equipment or open lawns. [5] Planners say the findings will weigh heavily in their final design.

18. 9.

    Tala proofreads a paragraph about a park survey. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 3: change “council” to “counsel”.
    • Sentence 1: change “proposed” to “purposed”.
    • Sentence 4: change “whether” to “weather”.
    • Sentence 1: change “canvas” to “canvass”.

19. Use this

    [1] The museum, formally a textile mill, still has the original brick walls and iron beams. [2] Visitors can walk through a gallery where weavers once worked long shifts. [3] A short film explains how the town's economy changed when the mill closed. [4] Curators have also collected letters from workers, which are displayed in glass cases. [5] The exhibit's director believes the stories help young visitors appreciate the town's past.

20. 10.

    Zee proofreads a paragraph about a museum. Which numbered sentence has the wrong word, and what fixes it?

    • Sentence 1: change “beams” to “beans”.
    • Sentence 1: change “formally” to “formerly”.
    • Sentence 3: change “closed” to “close”.
    • Sentence 2: change “once” to “ones”.