Commonly Mispronounced Words Practice (B1-B2) - English Quiz

⏱ Time: 10:00 📝 Questions: 20 📊 Level: B1, B2 📚 Type: General English ⭐ XP: up to +22 (on pass)

10-minute daily practice: 20 Commonly Mispronounced Words exercises for Level B1-B2. Short enough to fit into a coffee break, thorough enough to make real progress. Covers the most important aspects of commonly mispronounced words with instant feedback on every answer.

⏱ You have 10:00 to answer 20 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  20
Q1 20

Question 1: A student writes: 'The word colonel is spelled nothing like it sounds — it is pronounced KER-nul.' What writing concept does this sentence illustrate?

Question 1 options
The sentence highlights the difference between how a word is spelled and how it is spoken, which is the concept of a commonly mispronounced word — a word whose pronunciation does not match its spelling.
Q2 20

Question 2: The word 'February' is often mispronounced because the first 'r' is ___.

Question 2 options
The correct answer is 'frequently skipped by speakers' because many people drop the first 'r' and say 'Feb-yoo-ary' instead of 'Feb-roo-ary.' The other options incorrectly describe the letter as truly silent, doubled, or replaced.
Q3 20

Question 3: When writing about pronunciation, placing the stressed syllable in capital letters (e.g., pro-NUN-see-AY-shun) is a common and accepted way to show emphasis in informal guides.

Question 3 options
Using capital letters to indicate stressed syllables is a widely accepted convention in pronunciation guides, dictionaries, and educational writing, especially in informal contexts.
Q4 20

Question 4: Which sentence correctly explains a commonly mispronounced word?

Question 4 options
'Espresso' is correctly spelled and the explanation accurately identifies the common error of inserting an 'x' sound. The other options contain spelling mistakes: 'pronounciation' should be 'pronunciation,' 'Wendsday' should be 'Wednesday,' and 'libary' should be 'library.'
Q5 20

Question 5: Match each commonly mispronounced word (left) to the reason it is mispronounced (right).

Question 5 options
knife
colonel
arctic
queue
First 'c' is commonly dropped by speakers
Contains a silent 'k' at the start
Spelling does not match the sound at all
Four silent letters follow the first letter

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

'Knife' has a silent 'k,' 'colonel' has a spelling that does not match its sound, 'arctic' has a commonly dropped first 'c,' and 'queue' has four silent letters after 'q.'
Q6 20

Question 6: Which sentence contains a spelling error related to a commonly mispronounced word?

Question 6 options
'Definately' is a misspelling of 'definitely,' which is one of the most commonly mispronounced and misspelled words in English. The other three sentences are spelled correctly.
Q7 20

Question 7: English has many commonly mispronounced words; ___, the word 'clothes' is often said as 'close' by dropping the 'th' sound.

Question 7 options
'For example' is the best transition here because the sentence introduces a specific instance to illustrate the general claim. 'However' indicates contrast, 'therefore' indicates a conclusion, and 'meanwhile' indicates simultaneous events — none of which fit this context.
Q8 20

Question 8: The following sentence contains an error: 'The word pronounciation is itself commonly mispronounced.' Which option correctly fixes the error?

Question 8 options
The correct spelling is 'pronunciation,' not 'pronounciation.' Despite being related to the verb 'pronounce,' the noun form drops the 'o' and uses 'nun' instead of 'noun.' This is itself one of the most commonly mispronounced and misspelled words.
Q9 20

Question 9: Arrange the parts of a pronunciation guide entry in the correct order:

Question 9 options
  • Correct pronunciation: LES-ter
  • Example: Leicester is a city in England.
  • Common mistake: saying LIE-ses-ter
  • Word: Leicester

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

A standard pronunciation guide entry begins with the word itself, then provides the phonetic breakdown, followed by a note about the common mispronunciation, and finally an example sentence showing the word in context.
Q10 20

Question 10: You are writing a blog post about commonly mispronounced food words. Which opening sentence is most appropriate for an informal, engaging blog?

Question 10 options
The correct option uses a conversational tone with a direct question, which is appropriate for an informal blog. The first option is too academic, the third is too casual and uses slang, and the fourth is too formal and stiff for a blog post.
Q11 20

Question 11: What is the difference between a 'silent letter' and a 'mispronounced word'?

Question 11 options
A silent letter is a specific feature within a word's spelling where a letter is not voiced, while a mispronounced word refers to any word that people commonly say incorrectly. Silent letters can cause mispronunciation, but mispronunciation also occurs for other reasons such as stress placement or vowel confusion.
Q12 20

Question 12: You need to explain to a colleague in a formal email that the word 'niche' is commonly mispronounced. Which sentence uses the most appropriate register?

Question 12 options
The correct option is professional, clear, and polite — suitable for a formal email to a colleague. The first option is too academic, the second is too casual, and the fourth is condescending.
Q13 20

Question 13: A word can have more than one accepted pronunciation depending on the regional variety of English being spoken.

Question 13 options
This is true. English is spoken across many regions, and words like 'schedule,' 'tomato,' and 'herb' have different accepted pronunciations in British, American, Australian, and other varieties of English.
Q14 20

Question 14: In the sentence 'The word chaos looks like it should rhyme with tacos, which is why so many people get it wrong,' why does the writer use a humorous comparison?

Question 14 options
The comparison to 'tacos' is used to make the point memorable and relatable. By using humor, the writer helps the reader understand and remember why the word is confusing, which makes the explanation more engaging than a dry phonetic description.
Q15 20

Question 15: Which revision best improves this awkward sentence? Original: 'The word is pronounced wrong by people a lot because the letters don't sound how they look.'

Question 15 options
The improved version is clearer, more concise, and more specific. It replaces vague language ('a lot,' 'how they look') with precise wording. The other options remain wordy, redundant, or awkward.
Q16 20

Question 16: Read the passage: 'Many English words have silent letters that cause confusion. For instance, the 'k' in 'knight' is never pronounced. Similiarly, the 'w' in 'wrestle' is always silent.' Which option correctly identifies AND fixes the error?

Question 16 options
The word 'similiarly' is a misspelling of 'similarly.' This is itself a commonly misspelled word because people insert an extra 'i.' The other options point to words that are already correct or introduce new errors.
Q17 20

Question 17: Choose the sentence that has both the correct spelling of a commonly mispronounced word AND an appropriate transition word: 'Many words in English are tricky. ___, the word ___ has a silent letter that confuses people.'

Question 17 options
This option uses 'For instance' as a correct exemplifying transition and spells 'pneumonia' correctly. The first option misspells 'Febuary' (correct: February). The third misspells 'restarant' (correct: restaurant). The fourth uses 'Therefore,' which indicates a conclusion rather than an example.
Q18 20

Question 18: Put the sentences in the correct order to form a well-structured paragraph about commonly mispronounced words:

Question 18 options
  • For example, many speakers say 'ek-cetera' instead of the correct 'et cetera.'
  • However, with a little practice, anyone can learn to pronounce these tricky words correctly.
  • This error occurs because the 'ks' sound feels more natural to English speakers than the 'ts' sound.
  • English is full of words that people frequently mispronounce without realising it.

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The paragraph follows a logical structure: it starts with a topic sentence introducing the problem, then gives a specific example, explains why the error occurs, and concludes with a reassuring statement for the reader.
Q19 20

Question 19: When writing a pronunciation guide, you should always use the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) because informal phonetic spellings like 'SAM-in' for 'salmon' are never acceptable in any form of writing.

Question 19 options
This is false. While the IPA is used in academic and linguistic contexts, informal phonetic spellings are widely accepted and even preferred in blogs, textbooks for learners, and general-audience guides because they are easier for non-specialists to read.
Q20 20

Question 20: You are writing a short educational article about the word 'epitome,' which is commonly mispronounced as 'EH-pih-tohm' instead of 'eh-PIT-oh-mee.' Which of the following is the best way to present this information clearly, correctly, and in an appropriate style for a general audience?

Question 20 options
The correct option clearly states the word, provides the common error, and gives the correct pronunciation in a reader-friendly format. The third option misspells 'epitomy.' The first option is too informal and vague. The fourth is overly technical and uses jargon unsuitable for a general audience.