Primary 6 · English · Spelling & Editing
Spelling & Editing questions for Primary 6 English
12 questions to work through online, 8 of them written out the way the paper asks. Answer and you get the working straight away, then a score at the end. No sign-up, and you can retake it as often as you like.
- Agreement with a collective subject
- Related words spelt differently
- Dangling modifiers
- Choosing the correct word
- Writing the correct spelling
- Writing the correction
- Writing the correct form
Answers and explanations for all 12 questions
Every answer with the reasoning behind it. Worth reading after you have tried the set — or on its own, if you are a parent marking it.
Which word is wrong? The number of applicants have risen every year since the scheme began.
Answer: have
The number is the subject and it is singular, so it takes has. (A number of applicants have risen would be a different sentence.)
Which word is wrong? The pronounciation of the word was explained twice before the test.
Answer: pronounciation
It is pronunciation. The verb is pronounce, but the noun drops the o: pro-nun-ci-a-tion.
Which sentence is correct?
Answer: While she was walking to the hall, the results were announced over the tannoy.
A phrase beginning with an -ing verb attaches to whatever follows it. Naming the walker — while she was walking — is what fixes it.
Which word is wrong? The two proposals differ from each other in there approach to funding.
Answer: there
The approach belongs to the proposals, so it is their. There is about a place.
Spell the marked word correctly. The committee met to discuss the [maintainance] of the swimming pool.
Answer: maintenance
It is maintenance — main-te-nance, even though the verb is maintain.
Write the correct form of the marked word. If the parcel [would have] arrived on Tuesday, we could have opened it together.
Answer: had
If the parcel had arrived pairs with we could have opened — the if half takes had.
Write the correct form of the marked word. The data [suggest] that the programme has had little effect, according to the report.
Answer: suggests
In everyday English data is treated as singular and takes suggests. (In scientific writing data is a plural, so suggest is accepted too.)
Spell the marked word correctly. Her [arguement] was that the rule had never been explained to anyone.
Answer: argument
Argue loses its e when -ment is added, giving argument.
Write the correct form of the marked word. Between you and [I], the second draft was much the better one.
Answer: me
Between takes the object form, so it is between you and me.
Write the correct form of the marked word. Not one of the twelve entries [were] disqualified in the end.
Answer: was
Not one means not a single one, which is singular, so the verb is was.
Write the correct form of the marked word. The judges were [please] with the standard of this year's entries.
Answer: pleased
The judges felt it, so the word is pleased — were pleased with the standard.
Spell the marked word correctly. The hall was filled to [capasity] for the prize-giving.
Answer: capacity
It is capacity, with a c in the middle and the ending -ity.