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

Grade 9 Reading Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. 1.

   Several factors, including the price of the land and the neighbors’ objections, ______ against building the stadium downtown. Ari edits a news story. Which word completes the sentence correctly?

   • mitigate
   • mediate
   • mobilize
   • militate
2. 2.

   The ______ mountain road doubled back on itself eleven times before it reached the pass. Bo edits a travel story. Which word completes the sentence correctly?

   • tenuous
   • tortuous
   • treacherous
   • torturous
3. 3.

   The crowd waited with ______ breath as the judges read the final score. Esme edits a news story. Which word completes the sentence correctly?

   • held
   • batted
   • bated
   • baited

4. Read this first

   Sentence

   The school’s (1) bureaucracy required a (2) surveillance report, but the district’s (3) liason said the staff’s (4) camaraderie made it unnecessary.

5. 4.

   Kira proofreads a school paper. Which choice names the one misspelled word and its correct spelling?

   • (1) “bureaucracy” should be “buraucracy”, since the first e is not heard
   • (3) “liason” should be “liaison”, with an i before the second a
   • (4) “camaraderie” should be “camarederie”, since the vowel is an e
   • (2) “surveillance” should be “surveilance”, with a single l

6. Sentence

   At the awards night, the (1) unanimous vote of the judges, the host’s clear (2) pronounciation of each name, the (3) indispensable help of the volunteers and the (4) sergeant’s (5) address to the crowd earned applause.

7. 5.

   Luz proofreads an awards-night program. Which choice names the one misspelled word and its correct spelling?

   • (5) “address” should be “adress”, with one d
   • (3) “indispensable” should be “indispensible”, since the ending is -ible
   • (2) “pronounciation” should be “pronunciation”, with no o after the n
   • (1) “unanimous” should be “unanamous”, since the second vowel is an a

8. Sentence

   The (1) lieutenant praised the (2) entrepeneur who opened the (3) bakery, whose (4) fluorescent sign and (5) exhilarating smell drew the crowd.

9. 6.

   Milo proofreads a town bulletin. Which choice names the one misspelled word and its correct spelling?

   • (1) “lieutenant” should be “leutenant”, since the vowel pair is eu
   • (4) “fluorescent” should be “florescent”, since the u is not heard in the word
   • (2) “entrepeneur” should be “entrepreneur”, with an r before the second e
   • (5) “exhilarating” should be “exhillarating”, with two l’s in the middle

10. Sentence

    The (1) calender by the (2) library desk shows the (3) schedule for the (4) miniature train show, which starts at the (5) threshold of the hall.

11. 7.

    Noah proofreads a library notice. Which choice names the one misspelled word and its correct spelling?

    • (1) “calender” should be “calendar”, with an a in the last syllable
    • (2) “library” should be “libary”, since the first r is not heard
    • (5) “threshold” should be “thresh-hold”, with two h’s
    • (4) “miniature” should be “minature”, since the second i is not heard
12. 8.

    Ren proofreads a paragraph. Which version spells every word correctly?

    • The plan was permissable, and the club excelled despite a small debt.
    • The plan was permissible, and the club excelled despite a small debt.
    • The plan was permissible, and the club exceled despite a small debt.
    • The plan was permissible, and the club excelled despite a small det.
13. 9.

    Tala proofreads a paragraph. Which version spells every word correctly?

    • Both tests show strong resistance, so we recommend a retest by tomorrow.
    • Both tests show strong resistence, so we recommend a retest by tomorrow.
    • Both tests show strong resistance, so we recommend a retest by tommorrow.
    • Both tests show strong resistance, so we recomend a retest by tomorrow.
14. 10.

    Zee proofreads a paragraph. Which version spells every word correctly?

    • The iland’s two analyses showed that the new plan was a success.
    • The island’s two analysises showed that the new plan was a success.
    • The island’s two analyses showed that the new plan was a sucess.
    • The island’s two analyses showed that the new plan was a success.