Spelling Errors & Commonly Confused Words for SSC CGL
Complete English Language Guide
1. Spelling Errors
Definition: A spelling error occurs when a word is written incorrectly. SSC often asks to identify the wrongly spelled word in a group of options.
Tips to Avoid Spelling Errors
Learn common SSC-tested words
Watch out for double letters → e.g., accommodate, committee
Beware of silent letters → e.g., receipt, knight
Common suffix mistakes → -able / -ible, -ance / -ence
High-Frequency SSC Spelling Traps
| Correct | Wrong |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | Accomodation |
| Definitely | Definately |
| Embarrass | Embarass |
| Necessary | Neccessary |
| Maintenance | Maintainance |
| Separate | Seperate |
| Occurrence | Occurence |
| Privilege | Privilage |
| Recommend | Reccommend |
| Questionnaire | Questionaire |
2. Commonly Confused Words
Definition: Words that sound similar or are related in meaning but are used differently. SSC often tests these in error spotting and sentence correction.
High-Frequency Pairs in SSC
| Word 1 | Word 2 | Correct Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accept | Except | Accept → to agree; Except → excluding | I accept your proposal. / Everyone came except John |
| Affect | Effect | Affect → verb; Effect → noun | The weather affects my mood. / The medicine had a good effect |
| Advise | Advice | Advise → verb; Advice → noun | I advise you to study. / Take my advice |
| Compliment | Complement | Compliment → praise; Complement → completes | She gave me a compliment. / Blue complements white nicely |
| Elicit | Illicit | Elicit → to draw out; Illicit → illegal | The teacher tried to elicit answers. / He was arrested for illicit trade |
| Principle | Principal | Principle → rule; Principal → head of school / main | Honesty is a good principle. / The principal addressed the students |
| Stationary | Stationery | Stationary → not moving; Stationery → writing materials | The car remained stationary. / Buy stationery for exams |
| Ensure | Insure | Ensure → make certain; Insure → cover with insurance | Please ensure your safety. / He insured his car |
| Loose | Lose | Loose → not tight; Lose → misplace / fail | The screw is loose. / Don't lose your ticket |
| Desert | Dessert | Desert → dry land; Dessert → sweet dish | Sahara is a desert. / I had ice-cream for dessert |
3. SSC Exam Tips
Underline tricky letters → double letters, silent letters
Check context → for commonly confused words
Learn top 100 commonly confused pairs → they repeat in SSC
Read carefully → SSC may give all correctly spelled options except one
4. SSC CGL Previous Year Questions
Q1. Identify the wrongly spelled word:
(a) Occurrence (b) Neccessary (c) Recommend (d) Privilege
Answer: (b) Neccessary
Q2. Choose the correct word: I will ___ your suggestion
(a) Accept (b) Except
Answer: (a) Accept
Q3. Choose the correct usage: Blue shirt ___ white pants
(a) Compliment (b) Complement
Answer: (b) Complement
Q4. Identify the wrongly spelled word:
(a) Embarrass (b) Maintenance (c) Questionnaire (d) Accomodate
Answer: (d) Accomodate
Q5. Choose the correct word: Sahara is a vast ___
(a) Desert (b) Dessert
Answer: (a) Desert
5. Practice Questions
(Attempt yourself – answers hidden below)
Q1. Choose the correct word: I got your ___ about the meeting
Q2. Identify the wrongly spelled word: (a) Definitely (b) Reccommend (c) Privilege (d) Separate
Q3. Choose the correct word: He did not ___ the invitation
Q4. Fill in the blank: The cake was served after dinner as ___
Q5. Choose the correct word: She is a strict ___ of honesty
Click for Answers
1. Advice
2. (b) Reccommend
3. Accept
4. Dessert
5. Principal / believer in (Principle)
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