The 25 Most Commonly Misspelled Words

Presented by the Business Writing Center, training business writers since 1997

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Test Instructions

In the test that follows, two words have different preferred spellings in American and British English. The test presents these words asking for American spelling first, then repeats the words asking for British spelling.

Two words also have two acceptable spellings, but business writers have clear preferences for one of the spellings and expect to see that spelling in business documents. We want you to know the preferred spelling so you avoid being unjustifiably criticized for using an incorrect spelling.


Select the correct or preferred spelling for each of these commonly misspelled words.

1. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) acomodate

b) accomodate

c) acommodate

d) accommodate

e) Don't Know

2. Which of the following spellings is preferred in American English?

a) acknowledgment

b) acknowledgement

c) acknowlegment

d) acknowlegement

e) Don't Know

3. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) arguement

b) argument

c) arguemant

d) arguemint

e) Don't Know

4. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) comitment

b) comitmment

c) commitment

d) comitmant

e) Don't Know

5. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) consensus

b) concensus

c) consencus

d) consenssus

e) Don't Know

6. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) deductible

b) deductable

c) deductuble

d) deductabel

e) Don't Know

7. Which of the following spellings is always preferred in American English and preferred as an adjective in British English? ("He has insulin-__________ diabetes.")

a) dependant

b) depindant

c) dependent

d) dependunt

e) Don't Know

8. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) embarras

b) embaras

c) embarass

d) embarrass

e) Don't Know

9. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) existance

b) existence

c) existanse

d) existanc

e) Don't Know

10. Which of the following spellings is correct for a page at the beginning of a book?

a) foreward

b) forword

c) forworde

d) foreword

e) Don't Know

11. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) harass

b) haras

c) harrass

d) herrass

e) Don't Know

12. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) inadvertant

b) inadvartant

c) inadvartent

d) inadvertent

e) Don't Know

13. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) indispensabel

b) indispensible

c) indispensable

d) indespensible

e) Don't Know

14. Which of the following spellings is preferred in American English?

a) judgement

b) judgment

c) judgemant

d) judgmant

e) Don't Know

15. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) liason

b) liasson

c) liasone

d) liaison

e) Don't Know

16. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) license

b) lisense

c) licens

d) lisence

e) Don't Know

17. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) occassion

b) ocassion

c) occasion

d) ocasion

e) Don't Know

18. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) occurrence

b) ocurrance

c) occurrance

d) occurance

e) Don't Know

19. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) perserverance

b) persaverence

c) perserverence

d) perseverance

e) Don't Know

20. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) prerogative

b) perogative

c) perogitive

d) preragitive

e) Don't Know

21. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) privelege

b) privilege

c) privlege

d) privelige

e) Don't Know

22. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) procede

b) proceede

c) proced

d) proceed

e) Don't Know

23. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) seperate

b) separete

c) separate

d) seperat

e) Don't Know

24. Which of the following spellings is PREFERRED?

a) supersede

b) supercede

c) superceed

d) suparseed

e) Don't Know

25. Which of the following spellings is correct?

a) withhold

b) withhuld

c) withold

d) withhald

e) Don't Know

26. Which of the following spellings is preferred in British English?

a) acknowledgment

b) acknowledgement

c) acknowlegment

d) acknowlegement

e) Don't Know

27. Which of the following spellings is preferred in British English other than in legal documents?

a) judgement

b) judgment

c) judgemant

d) judgmant

e) Don't Know