Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
Which spelling is correct?
- beleve
- separete
- beleive
- definitely
Answer: definitely — definite has finite inside it.
11+ spelling questions
Spelling questions test the vocabulary and precision an 11+ English paper is really examining. Here is what is being asked, how to reason it out rather than guess, and five worked examples with full explanations, rising in difficulty.
English · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- Most spelling mistakes are one of three things: a doubled letter, a missing letter, or ie/ei the wrong way round.
- Say the word in syllables — sep-a-rate — and check each piece against the options.
Where marks get lost: If two options look close, find the ONE letter that differs. That is what is being tested.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
Which spelling is correct?
- begginning
- argument
- greatful
- arguement
Answer: argument — argue loses its e before -ment.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
Which spelling is correct?
- necessary
- acomodate
- gratefull
- necesary
Answer: necessary — one collar, two sleeves: one c, two s.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
Which spelling is correct?
- exagerate
- conscious
- ocurred
- acomodate
Answer: conscious — sci in the middle, like conscience.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
Which spelling is correct?
- maintenance
- exaggarate
- mischeivous
- conscientous
Answer: maintenance — maintain changes to mainten- before -ance.
How to practise this at home
- Vocabulary is cumulative, so a small number of words revisited over weeks beats a long list crammed the night before.
- Ask your child to use a new word in a sentence about their own day — a word they can only define is a word they will lose under pressure.
- When a question turns on a shade of meaning, talk about why the near-miss option is wrong. That is the skill being examined.
Practise spelling with a tutor that explains
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