Could You Win a Spelling Bee?

By: Isadora Teich
Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

Think you are a spelling genius? English is a notoriously tricky language to get right. Even lifelong speakers can confuse all the rules, exceptions, and tricky spellings of both obscure and everyday words. While some languages are mostly phonetic, meaning that you can generally tell how words are spelled by how they sound, English is nothing like that at all. Some words are spelled completely differently, but sound the same, like to, two and too. If English were logical, pie and piece would not have different vowel sounds. If things made more sense, bowl and toll would not be pronounced as rhyming words.    

This is why spelling bees are such a popular form of competition. You cannot fake your way to the top when it comes to these sorts of contests. You have to really know your stuff in order to best English, which has one of the largest and most complex vocabularies of any modern language. It takes a lot of skill to outspell your competitors and get it right every single time! It can become a truly suspenseful competition with onlookers hanging on every last letter. 

If you think you have what it takes to crush a spelling bee, test out your chops with this quiz! 


I'll take a picture with my:

"Camera" is the correct spelling of this world. Don't be fooled by the fact that many pronounce it without the "e" in the middle.

She wears _____ rings.

While "ate" and "eight" sound the same, they are very different. Don't be fooled.

He was the _______ baby.

Happiest is the correct spelling of this word. Remember it by breaking it up into hap+pie+st.

They made it to the:

Celebration is the correct spelling of this word. It is "celebrate" with the "e" dropped and the suffix "ion" added.

The _______ was up for reelection.

Senator is the correct way to spell this word. It is another case where similar-sounding vowel pronunciation can lead to confusion.

I hope they don't ______ my favorite show.

The correct spelling of this word is "cancel." This word can be tricky because it makes use of both the hard C and the soft C.

The winding road is ____________.

Dangerous is the correct spelling. It makes use of the root word danger and the suffix -ous.

She wants to be an _________ when she grows up.

Author is the correct spelling of the word. An author is someone who has created a piece of writing.

They learned ________ in art class.

Sculpture is spelled correctly. Sculpture is an art from where 2 or 3D creations are made often from stone, wood, clay, metal, or plaster.

She was not ______ of his violin practice.

Tolerant is the correct spelling of this word. To be tolerant means to be open-minded about opinions and behavior that does not reflect one's own.

_________ is dangerous.

Dynamite is spelled correctly. It is a high explosive, which is often in stick form.

Don't __________ other people's problems.

Minimize is the correct spelling. To minimize something is to reduce its gravity or importance.

I got Tylenol from the _________.

Pharmacy is the proper spelling. A pharmacy is a shop where medicines are prepared and sold.

The dinosaurs are:

The correct spelling is extinct. An extinct group has no living members.

Kevin is very ________.

The correct spelling is thoughtful. Someone who is thoughtful shows consideration for other people's needs.

I always have room for:

Dessert is the correct spelling. Do not confuse desert, arid and dry land, with dessert, a sweet treat.

The ______ was broken.

Vacuum is the correct spelling of the word. A vacuum is both a space entirely devoid of matter and a cleaning device.

She needs to take her car to the:

Mechanic is the correct spelling of this word. A mechanic is someone skilled in repairing and maintaining vehicles and other machinery.

He is _________ tired.

The correct spelling is especially. It means very much.

Wait until the ________ to get a snack.

The proper spelling is intermission. An intermission is a break or pause.

Seth plays little __________ baseball.

The correct spelling is league. A league is a collection of teams, people, groups or countries that come together for either protection or cooperation.

Jesse's _________ is British.

Nationality is spelled correctly. Someone's nationality is the nation or country they belong to.

I saw a __________.

Phantom is spelled correctly. A phantom is a ghost.

Dogs are friendly, and _______ get a lot of attention.

Consequently is spelled correctly. It means as a result of.

The hat was ______.

Adjustable is spelled correctly. Something adjustable can be adjusted easily.

The party was _________.

Outrageous is the correct spelling. Outrageous is an adjective meaning bad, excessive, unusual or shocking.

She said no just to be:

Contrary is the proper spelling. To be contrary is to be opposite in nature or meaning for the sake of it.

The business was very:

Lucrative is spelled correctly. Something lucrative generates a lot of profit.

The dark night was __________.

Ominous is the proper spelling. If something is ominous it is foreboding.

The singer was:

Extraordinary is the correct spelling. Something extraordinary is unusual or remarkable.

The celebrity got an _______ degree from my university.

Honorary is the proper spelling. Something honorary is given to someone even though they did not take the usual steps to earn it.

She has ________.

Vertigo is spelled properly. Vertigo is a feeling of dizziness when looking down from a great height, or a disease of the inner ear that causes that sensation.

He tried to _______ from drinking.

Abstain is correctly spelled. To abstain is to restrict a specific activity or pleasure.

She was not ______.

Religious is properly spelled. To be religious is to relate to or believe in a religion.

She died of an unknown:

Malady is spelled correctly. A malady is a disease.

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Explore More Quizzes