Do you know your PRESENTS from your PRESENCE? Your SLEIGH from your SLAY? It’s time for my Christmas #confusables quiz! And this year it’s tricker than ever…

Pick the correct spelling from the options below and scroll down for the answers when you’re done.

No cheating!

Let’s start with an easy one…

Question 1

a)  “Whose coming for Christmas dinner this year?”

b)  “Who’s coming for Christmas dinner this year?”

Question 2

a)  “Santa’s making an appearance at the school Christmas bizarre!”

b)  “Santa’s making an appearance at the school Christmas bazaar!”

Question 3

a)  “Tickets to the carol concert are £10, and include complementary mince pies”

b)  “Tickets to the carol concert are £10, and include complimentary mince pies”

Question 4

a) “We saw A Christmas Carol at the RSC. The guy who played The Ghost of Christmas Past was so talented!”

b) “We saw A Christmas Carol at the RSC. The guy who played The Ghost of Christmas Passed was so talented!”

Question 5

a)  “Too many glasses of fizz at last night’s party have lead to a hangover!”

b)  “Too many glasses of fizz at last night’s party have led to a hangover!”

Question 6

a)  “The neighbourhood Christmas Eve party always attracts hordes of people!”

b)  “The neighbourhood Christmas Eve party always attracts hoards of people!”

Question 7

a)  “I’ve had so many compliments about my Christmas tree this year!”

b)  “I’ve had so many complements about my Christmas tree this year!”

Question 8

a)  “Ooh, yes please – I’m not adverse to a glass of mulled wine!”

b)  “Ooh, yes please – I’m not averse to a glass of mulled wine!”

Question 9

a)  “I’ll pass on dessert – last year’s Christmas pudding gave me stomach pains “

b)  “I’ll pass on desert – last year’s Christmas pudding gave me stomach pains”

Question 10

a)  “Oi! Quit peaking at your presents – you’ll spoil the surprise!”

b)  “Oi! Quit peeking at your presents – you’ll spoil the surprise!”

Question 11

a)  “If you don’t behave, it’ll affect the amount of Christmas presents you get!”

b)  “If you don’t behave, it’ll effect the amount of Christmas presents you get!”

c)  “If you don’t behave, it’ll affect the number of Christmas presents you get!”

d)  “If you don’t behave, it’ll effect the number of Christmas presents you get!”

Question 12

a)  “Let’s go to the panto this year! It’s my favourite!”

b)  “Lets go to the panto this year! It’s my favourite!”

c)  “Let’s go to the panto this year! Its my favourite!”

d)  “Lets go to the panto this year! Its my favourite!”

Question 13

a)  “Are you inferring I’ve had too much to drink?!”

b)  “Are you inferring I’ve had to much to drink?!”

c)  “Are you implying I’ve had to much to drink?!”

d)  “Are you implying I’ve had too much to drink?!” 

Question 14

a)  “Did you see what I bought for your mum from Etsy? It’s a secret, so be discrete!”

b)  “Did you see what I bought for your mum from Etsy? It’s a secret, so be discreet!”

c)  “Did you see what I brought for your mum from Etsy? It’s a secret, so be discrete!”

d)  “Did you see what I brought for your mum from Etsy? It’s a secret, so be discreet!”

Question 15

a)  “I wonder who’s doing this year’s alternative Christmas message on Channel 4!”

b)  “I wonder who’s doing this year’s alternate Christmas message on Channel 4!”

c)  “I wonder whose doing this year’s alternative Christmas message on Channel 4!”

d)  “I wonder whose doing this year’s alternate Christmas message on Channel 4!”

 

Scroll down for the answers…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers

Q1) b
Q2) b
Q3) b
Q4) a
Q5) b
Q6) a
Q7) a
Q8) b
Q9) a
Q10) b
Q11) c
Q12) a
Q13) d
Q14) b
Q15) a

How did you go ho ho?

12 to 15: A* student: gold star for you

7 to 11: good effort: could do better

0 to 6: must pay attention in English class

If you love a bit of nerdy, wordy fun, you’ll love The Little Book of Confusables? Get 300+ pages of language love here.

You don’t often find the words ‘fun’ and ‘spelling’ in the same sentence – but my annual Christmas #confusables spelling quiz is the exception!

Pick the correct spelling in the sentences below, and scroll down for the answers when you’re done. No cheating!

There’s no prize for getting ten out of ten – just the satisfaction that you’re a Clever Copy Club graduate and the knowledge that it caused me actual pain to type some of these!

I’ll start you with an easy one…

Question 1

a) “I wonder who’s doing this year’s alternative Christmas message on Channel 4!”

b) “I wonder who’s doing this year’s alternate Christmas message on Channel 4!”

Question 2

a) “Christmas pudding is my all-time favourite desert.”

b) “Christmas pudding is my all-time favourite dessert.”

Question 3

a) “No peaking at the presents underneath the tree!”

b) “No peeking at the presents underneath the tree!”

Question 4

a) “We enjoyed the school Christmas bizarre this year.”

b) “We enjoyed the school Christmas bazaar this year.”

Question 5

a) “I loved reading Christmas stories aloud to the kids when they were little.”

b) “I loved reading Christmas stories allowed to the kids when they were little.”

Question 6

a) “The carol concert included complementary mince pies!”

b) “The carol concert included complimentary mince pies!”

Question 7

a) “There’ll be trouble if you finish the champagne!”

b) “They’ll be trouble if you finish the champagne!”

Question 8

a) “Have you seen the decorations on the house up the road? They’re not exactly discrete!”

b) “Have you seen the decorations on the house up the road? They’re not exactly discreet!”

Question 9

a) “I hear she brought her turkey from Waitrose this year.”

b) “I hear she bought her turkey from Waitrose this year.”

Question 10

a) “The Christmas Eve party always attracts hoards of people!”

b) “The Christmas Eve party always attracts hordes of people!”

 

Scroll down for the answers…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers

Q1) a
Q2) b
Q3) b
Q4) b
Q5) a
Q6) b
Q7) a
Q8) b
Q9) b
Q10) b

How did you do?

8 to 10: A* student – gold star for you

5 to 7: good effort – could do better

0 to 4: must pay more attention in English lessons*

*future issues of the Clever Copy Club newsletter

(Need to brush up on your #confusables and don’t already receive my monthly email tips and tricks? Sign up here.)

If you enjoyed this post and haven’t already tried 2018 and 2017 Christmas spelling quizzes, give them a go!