Out of the given four words only one is not spelt correctly. Find the word that is not correctly spelt?

Appeared in: DHS Staff Nurse - 2018 (Shift-2nd)

Explanation

The word 'Curiousity' is the only option that is spelled incorrectly.
The correct spelling is 'Curiosity'.
The spelling rule for forming a noun from an adjective ending in '-ous' involves dropping the 'u' before adding the suffix '-ity'.
For example, the adjective 'curious' becomes the noun 'curiosity'.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

Option B: The word 'irresistible' is spelled correctly. It is formed by adding the prefix 'ir-' to 'resistible'.
Option C: The word 'independent' is spelled correctly. It is a common word formed from the prefix 'in-' and the word 'dependent'.
Option D: The word 'immediately' is spelled correctly. It is the adverb form of 'immediate', created by adding the suffix '-ly'.

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Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain English Spelling as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This question tests general English proficiency, which is a component of many nursing entrance examinations.
Strong language skills are essential for nurses for accurate documentation, clear communication with patients and colleagues, and understanding medical literature.
What if the question asked for the correctly spelled word? In that case, any of the other three options (irresistible, independent, immediately) would have been a valid answer.

How to Approach the Question

This is a spelling question. The goal is to identify the single word that is not spelled correctly.
Read each option carefully. Sound it out if necessary.
Analyze the structure of each word. Look for common prefixes (like 'ir-', 'in-') and suffixes (like '-ity', '-ible', '-ly').
Apply known spelling rules. For 'Curiousity', recall the rule for changing adjectives ending in '-ous' to nouns.
Eliminate the words that you are confident are spelled correctly.
The remaining word is the one that is likely misspelled. Double-check its spelling to confirm.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: English Spelling
Stem keywords: spelt correctly, word
Lead-in keywords: not
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to find the word that is NOT spelt correctly.

Question ID

Qmx0HLumMYfFI8lVzUFkxE

Reference Book

E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 3189-3191, 15373-15375, 15383-15385

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