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French Spelling Traps

"Apercevoir" takes only one P while "percevoir" and "concevoir" take two. "Médecin" comes from Latin medicus, not from médicament. Test the exceptions that trip up even the best students of French spelling.

15

Questions

2

Minutes

Tip: Use keys 1-4 to answer quickly

The 15 quiz questions

Question 1 : What is the correct spelling?

Possible answers:

  • Aperçevoir
  • Apperçevoir
  • Apercevoir
  • Appercevoir

Explanation: "Apercevoir" is spelled with a single P. It is an exception since most -cevoir verbs take two P's (percevoir, concevoir).

Question 2 : What is the correct French spelling of the healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats patients?

Possible answers:

  • Médicin
  • Médcin
  • Médacin
  • Médecin

Explanation: "Médecin" is spelled with an E, not an A. The mistake comes from confusion with the word "médicament".

Question 3 : What is the correct spelling of the French word meaning "definitively"?

Possible answers:

  • Definitivement
  • Déffinitivement
  • Définitivement
  • Défenitivement

Explanation: "Définitivement" takes an acute accent on the E, like the word "définitif" from which it derives.

Question 4 : How do you spell the French word for a place where cars are parked?

Possible answers:

  • Garage
  • Garrage
  • Guarage
  • Garaje

Explanation: "Garage" is spelled with a single R. The common mistake comes from confusion with words like "garrigue".

Question 5 : What is the correct spelling of the French word meaning "that happens often"?

Possible answers:

  • Fréquant
  • Frequant
  • Fréquent
  • Frécent

Explanation: "Fréquent" takes an acute accent on the E and is spelled with QU, not C.

Question 6 : How do you spell the French word for a large number of people?

Possible answers:

  • Foulle
  • Foûle
  • Foul
  • Foule

Explanation: "Foule" is spelled with a single L. Not to be confused with "fouler" which also takes only one L.

Question 7 : What is the correct spelling of the French word meaning "to make more intense"?

Possible answers:

  • Aggréver
  • Agraver
  • Agrever
  • Aggraver

Explanation: "Aggraver" is spelled with two G's. It is one of the rare French words with this feature.

Question 8 : How do you spell the French word for the act of forgiving?

Possible answers:

  • Pardoner
  • Pardonner
  • Pardoné
  • Parddonner

Explanation: "Pardonner" takes two N's, like its derivatives (pardonnable, impardonnable).

Question 9 : What is the correct spelling of the French word meaning "that cannot be avoided"?

Possible answers:

  • Inevittable
  • Inévitable
  • Innevitable
  • Inévittable

Explanation: "Inévitable" is spelled with an acute accent on the E. It comes from the Latin "inevitabilis".

Question 10 : How do you spell the French verb meaning "to become larger"?

Possible answers:

  • Agrendire
  • Agrandir
  • Aggrandir
  • Agrandiir

Explanation: "Agrandir" is spelled with a single G, unlike "aggraver" which takes two.

Question 11 : What is the correct spelling of the French word for a period of a thousand years?

Possible answers:

  • Milénaire
  • Milenaire
  • Millennaire
  • Millénaire

Explanation: "Millénaire" is spelled with two L's and an acute accent. It comes from the Latin "millenarius".

Question 12 : How do you spell the French word meaning "related to the environment"?

Possible answers:

  • Environnemental
  • Environemental
  • Environementale
  • Envirronemental

Explanation: "Environnemental" takes two N's in the middle, like the word "environnement" from which it derives.

Question 13 : What is the correct spelling of the French word for the act of recommending?

Possible answers:

  • Récommandation
  • Recommandation
  • Recomandation
  • Recommendation

Explanation: "Recommandation" takes two M's and an A. It derives from the verb "recommander".

Question 14 : How do you spell the French word meaning "to have doubts about something"?

Possible answers:

  • Soupçonner
  • Soupsonner
  • Soupconner
  • Soupsoner

Explanation: "Soupçonner" is spelled with a ç (cedilla). Be careful not to forget the cedilla!

Question 15 : What is the correct spelling of the French word for a person who practices philosophy?

Possible answers:

  • Philosophe
  • Filosofe
  • Philosofe
  • Phylosophe

Explanation: "Philosophe" is spelled with PH at the beginning and in the middle. It comes from the Greek "philosophos" (lover of wisdom).

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