Choose the right look-alike word and spell the hard ones

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   The architect’s ______ sense is famous, yet her own ______ home holds one chair and a lamp. Ari edits an architecture magazine. Which pair fills the two gaps correctly?

   • (1) ascetic, (2) ascetic
   • (1) aesthetic, (2) aesthetic
   • (1) aesthetic, (2) ascetic
   • (1) ascetic, (2) aesthetic

2. Read this first

   Sentence

   The board needs a ______ mediator, one with no stake in the outcome, not an ______ one who ignores the talks.

3. 2.

   Bo edits a board newsletter. Which pair fills the two gaps correctly?

   • (1) uninterested, (2) uninterested
   • (1) uninterested, (2) disinterested
   • (1) disinterested, (2) uninterested
   • (1) disinterested, (2) disinterested
4. 3.

   The ______ neighborhood by the river complained about the ______ that the factory released into the water. Esme edits a county report. Which pair fills the two gaps correctly?

   • (1) affluent, (2) affluent
   • (1) effluent, (2) affluent
   • (1) affluent, (2) effluent
   • (1) effluent, (2) effluent
5. 4.

   The flood threatened to ______ havoc on the valley, and the mud would ______ for weeks. Jun edits a weather report. Which pair fills the two gaps correctly?

   • (1) wreak, (2) wreak
   • (1) reek, (2) wreak
   • (1) wreak, (2) reek
   • (1) reek, (2) reek
6. 5.

   “Benefited” Luz explains a spelling to a classmate. Which explanation is true?

   • The first syllable of “benefit” is stressed, so its t stays single before the ending -ed.
   • The t sounds soft in the word, so one letter is enough to show it.
   • Words that end in -it double their last consonant before the ending, as most short words do.
   • The last syllable of “benefit” is stressed, so its t stays single before the ending -ed.
7. 6.

   “Manageable” Milo explains a spelling to a classmate. Which explanation is true?

   • Silent e is kept before any ending that begins with a vowel.
   • The e drops before -able, as in other words, so the g stays soft without it anyway.
   • The e stays after the g so the g keeps its soft sound (j), not the hard sound, before -able.
   • The e is heard clearly in the word, so the spelling keeps it before the ending -able.
8. 7.

   “Truly” Noah explains a spelling to a classmate. Which explanation is true?

   • The silent e of “true” is dropped before -ly, an exception to the usual rule of keeping it.
   • Silent e is dropped before any ending that begins with a consonant, in words of this kind.
   • The silent e of “true” is kept before -ly, as it is in “nicely” and “surely”.
   • The e is not heard in the word, so the spelling simply leaves it out before -ly.

9. Draft

   The ingenuous plan to reuse cafeteria trays as signs saved the club hundreds of dollars. The treasurer was suprised by all the praise.

10. 8.

    Pia revises two sentences from a school paper. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • The ingenuous plan to reuse cafeteria trays as signs saved the club hundreds of dollars. The treasurer was surprised by all the praise.
    • The ingenious plan to reuse cafeteria trays as signs saved the club hundreds of dollars. The treasurer was suprised by all the praise.
    • The ingenious plan to reuse cafeteria trays as signs saved the club hundreds of dollars. The treasurer was surprised by all the praise.
    • The ingenious plan to reuse cafeteria trays as signs saved the club hundreds of dolars. The treasurer was surprised by all the praise.
11. 9.

    The road through the pass was torturous, with a hairpin turn every mile. Drivers praised the safty barriers. Tala revises two sentences from a travel guide. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • The road through the pass was torturous, with a hairpin turn every mile. Drivers praised the safety barriers.
    • The road through the pass was tortuous, with a hairpin turn every mile. Drivers praised the safety barriers.
    • The road through the pass was tortuous, with a hairpin turn every mile. Drivers praised the safty barriers.
    • The road through the pass was tortuous, with a hairpin turn every mile. Drivers praised the safety bariers.
12. 10.

    A perspective student asked about the debate team. The coach said the club had exceled at three tournaments. Zee revises two sentences from a school newsletter. Which revision fixes both slips without adding a new one?

    • A prospective student asked about the debate team. The coach said the club had exceled at three tournaments.
    • A prospective student asked about the debate team. The coach said the club had excelled at three tournaments.
    • A prospective student asked about the debate team. The coach said the club had excelled at three tournamants.
    • A perspective student asked about the debate team. The coach said the club had excelled at three tournaments.