Theory & Concepts

Master Spellings (Commonly Misspelled Words) for SSC CGL

Get comprehensive theory, expert shortcuts, and hand-picked practice questions for Spellings (Commonly Misspelled Words) specifically designed for the SSC CGL 2025-26 pattern.

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40 min readDifficulty: Medium

Spelling errors are heavily penalized in SSC CGL Tier-1 and Tier-2 exams under "Find the correctly spelled word" or "Find the misspelled word" questions. Standard spelling traps exploit silent letters, double consonant ambiguities, and deceptive phonetic matches. By learning established rules—along with their critical exceptions—you can confidently secure full marks in spelling questions.

Learning path

  • "I before E except after C" Rule
  • Double Consonant Traps
  • Suffix & Silent Letter Variations
  • 20 Practice Questions (Solved)

1. The "I Before E Except After C" Rule

This is the most famous spelling rule in the English language, but it also has notorious exceptions that CGL examiners love to test.

The Core Rule

Generally, write i before e (e.g., believe, chief, thief, shield), EXCEPT when they immediately follow the letter c (e.g., receive, deceive, receipt, ceiling).

High-Frequency Exceptions (Tested in CGL)

  • Weird: Not 'wherd' or 'wierd'. It is spelled weird.
  • Foreign: Spelled foreign (not 'foriegn').
  • Height: Spelled height (not 'hieght').
  • Leisure: Spelled leisure (not 'liesure').
  • Seize: Spelled seize (not 'sieze').

2. Double Consonant Traps

Many common mistakes involve doubling or failing to double a consonant when adding suffixes or forming compound words.

Correct SpellingCommon Misspelled VersionRule / Examiner Trap
AccommodationAcomodation / AccomodationContains both double c and double m.
OccurrenceOccurence / OcurenceContains double c, double r, and ends in -ence.
EmbarrassmentEmbarasment / EmbarassmentContains both double r and double s.
CommitteeCommitee / CommitteContains double m, double t, and double e.
HarassHarrassSingle r, but double s (often confused with embarrass).

3. Deceptive Vowels & Silent Letters

Words containing silent vowels (like the 'u' in gauge) or deceptive vowel combinations are highly prized by CGL examiners:

Gauge (Correct)

Misspelled as Gage or Guage. Note the 'au' vowel sequence.

Lieutenant (Correct)

Misspelled as Lutenant or Leutenant. Spelled with "lieu" at the beginning.

Bureaucracy (Correct)

Misspelled as Bureacracy or Burocracy. Spelled as "bureau" + "cracy".

Maintenance (Correct)

Misspelled as Maintainance. Root verb 'maintain' changes to 'mainte-' when adding '-nance'.

4. 20 Practice Questions (Solved)

Question 01CGL pattern

Select the CORRECTLY spelled word.

A) Accomodation
B) Acommodation
C) Accommodation
D) Acomodation
Correct answer: C) Accommodation

Explanation

Step 1: Accommodation is a high-frequency double consonant trap.
Step 2: It requires both double 'c' and double 'm' (A-c-c-o-m-m-o-d-a-t-i-o-n).
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 02CGL pattern

Select the INCORRECTLY spelled word.

A) Committee
B) Occurrence
C) Embarrassment
D) Harrass
Correct answer: D) Harrass

Explanation

Step 1: Check options: 'Committee' (double m, t, e) is correct.
Step 2: 'Occurrence' (double c, r) is correct. 'Embarrassment' (double r, s) is correct.
Step 3: 'Harass' has only a SINGLE 'r' but double 's' (H-a-r-a-s-s). 'Harrass' is incorrect.
Conclusion: Option D.
Question 03CGL pattern

Choose the correctly spelled word.

A) Bureaucracy
B) Bureacracy
C) Burocracy
D) Bureucracy
Correct answer: A) Bureaucracy

Explanation

Step 1: The word contains the root French word 'bureau'.
Step 2: Adding suffix '-cracy' gives B-u-r-e-a-u-c-r-a-c-y.
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 04CGL pattern

Choose the correctly spelled word.

A) Maintainance
B) Maintenance
C) Maintenence
D) Mentainance
Correct answer: B) Maintenance

Explanation

Step 1: Although the verb is 'maintain', the noun form drops the 'ai' structure in the second syllable.
Step 2: The correct spelling is M-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 05CGL pattern

Find the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Believe
B) Receipt
C) Sieze
D) Ceiling
Correct answer: C) Sieze

Explanation

Step 1: Apply 'I before E except after C'. 'Believe' (ie) and 'Receipt' (ei after c), 'Ceiling' (ei after c) are correct.
Step 2: 'Seize' is a famous exception to the 'ie' rule. It is spelled S-e-i-z-e, not 'sieze'.
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 06CGL pattern

Choose the correct spelling of the word meaning 'instrument for measuring'.

A) Guage
B) Gauge
C) Gage
D) Gauage
Correct answer: B) Gauge

Explanation

Step 1: 'Gauge' has a deceptive vowel sequence.
Step 2: The correct vowel combination is 'au' (G-a-u-g-e).
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 07CGL pattern

Select the correctly spelled word.

A) Lieutenant
B) Lutenant
C) Leutenant
D) Lieutenent
Correct answer: A) Lieutenant

Explanation

Step 1: The spelling has silent/deceptive vowel structures.
Step 2: Remember it starts with the sequence 'lieu' (L-i-e-u-t-e-n-a-n-t).
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 08CGL pattern

Select the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Privilege
B) Separate
C) Definite
D) Cemetry
Correct answer: D) Cemetry

Explanation

Step 1: 'Privilege' (P-r-i-v-i-l-e-g-e) and 'Separate' (S-e-p-a-r-a-t-e) are correct.
Step 2: 'Definite' (D-e-f-i-n-i-t-e) is correct.
Step 3: The correct spelling for the burial ground is Cemetery (C-e-m-e-t-e-r-y). 'Cemetry' is incorrect.
Conclusion: Option D.
Question 09CGL pattern

Select the correctly spelled word.

A) Millennium
B) Millenium
C) Milennium
D) Milenium
Correct answer: A) Millennium

Explanation

Step 1: The word contains both double 'l' and double 'n'.
Step 2: Spelling: M-i-l-l-e-n-n-i-u-m.
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 10CGL pattern

Select the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Foreign
B) Sovereign
C) Grievous
D) Mischievous
Correct answer: D) Mischievous

Explanation

Step 1: Examine 'Mischievous'. The common pronunciation mistake leads to writing 'mischievious' (incorrect extra syllable).
Step 2: The correct spelling is M-i-s-c-h-i-e-v-o-u-s (no extra 'i' after 'v').
Conclusion: Option D.
Question 11CGL pattern

Choose the correctly spelled word.

A) Millennium
B) Colleague
C) Connoisseur
D) All are correct
Correct answer: D) All are correct

Explanation

Step 1: Check spelling of 'Millennium' (double l, n) - Correct.
Step 2: Check spelling of 'Colleague' (double l, ended in -eague) - Correct.
Step 3: Check spelling of 'Connoisseur' (double n, double s, ended in -eur) - Correct.
Conclusion: Option D.
Question 12CGL pattern

Choose the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Necessary
B) Necesity
C) Negligible
D) Nausea
Correct answer: B) Necesity

Explanation

Step 1: Check the root 'Necessary' (one c, double s) - Correct.
Step 2: Noun form 'Necessity' MUST have double 's' (N-e-c-e-s-s-i-t-y). 'Necesity' is incorrect.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 13CGL pattern

Select the correctly spelled word.

A) Questionnaire
B) Questionaire
C) Questionare
D) Questionnairee
Correct answer: A) Questionnaire

Explanation

Step 1: Focus on double consonant suffix.
Step 2: Adding '-naire' suffix to 'question' results in double 'n' (Q-u-e-s-t-i-o-n-n-a-i-r-e).
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 14CGL pattern

Select the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Forecast
B) Foreward
C) Foresee
D) Foreign
Correct answer: B) Foreward

Explanation

Step 1: Examine 'Foreward'. The introductory text in a book is Foreword (F-o-r-e-w-o-r-d).
Step 2: 'Foreward' is incorrect.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 15CGL pattern

Identify the correctly spelled word.

A) Surveillance
B) Surveilance
C) Survaillance
D) Surveillence
Correct answer: A) Surveillance

Explanation

Step 1: This word features double 'l' and ends with '-ance' (not '-ence').
Step 2: S-u-r-v-e-i-l-l-a-n-c-e is correct.
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 16CGL pattern

Find the correctly spelled word.

A) Perseverance
B) Perserverance
C) Perseverence
D) Perservarance
Correct answer: A) Perseverance

Explanation

Step 1: Note that the first two vowel sounds are 'e' and there is NO 'r' after 'se'.
Step 2: Spelling is P-e-r-s-e-v-e-r-a-n-c-e.
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 17CGL pattern

Find the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Recomended
B) Recommand
C) Recommend
D) Recummend
Correct answer: C) Recommend

Explanation

Step 1: 'Recommend' contains single 'c' but double 'm' (R-e-c-o-m-m-e-n-d).
Conclusion: Option C.
Question 18CGL pattern

Find the correctly spelled word.

A) Tomorrow
B) Tommorow
C) Tommorrow
D) Tomorroww
Correct answer: A) Tomorrow

Explanation

Step 1: Deceptive double letters. People often double the 'm'.
Step 2: Correct spelling features single 'm' and double 'r' (T-o-m-o-r-r-o-w).
Conclusion: Option A.
Question 19CGL pattern

Select the incorrectly spelled word.

A) Pronunciation
B) Pronounciation
C) Punctuation
D) Professional
Correct answer: B) Pronounciation

Explanation

Step 1: Although the verb is 'pronounce', the noun form changes the 'ou' sequence to 'u'.
Step 2: Thus, it is P-r-o-n-u-n-c-i-a-t-i-o-n (no second 'o'). 'Pronounciation' is incorrect.
Conclusion: Option B.
Question 20CGL pattern

Select the correctly spelled word.

A) Vacuum
B) Vacum
C) Vaccum
D) Vacuume
Correct answer: A) Vacuum

Explanation

Step 1: Deceptive double vowel trap. Vacuum contains a single 'c' but double 'u'.
Step 2: Correct spelling is V-a-c-u-u-m.
Conclusion: Option A.

Strategy errors to avoid

!

Phonetic Guessing Traps

English orthography is not purely phonetic. Guessing spellings solely based on how you pronounce them (e.g. pronounciation vs pronunciation) is a major source of negative marks in SSC exams.

!

Double Consonant Generalizations

Do not double random consonants. While 'accommodation' has double 'c' and 'm', 'harass' only has a single 'r'. Study these exact variations closely to guarantee perfect accuracy.

Master the next modules

Idioms & PhrasesPhrasal VerbsActive & Passive Voice