RankHighCompetitive Exam Prep

Reading and writing

Spelling

Recognising the standard spelling of a word in context. Usually tested by presenting one word in several spellings.

Exams on RankHigh that test this

What follows is our approach, not an official rule. What each question type measures is set by the body that runs the examination. How to work one is RankHigh’s method — it is what a good tutor would tell you, and there is more than one way to be right. Where an examination publishes its own instructions, those govern on the day.

Spelling — POST PELLETB

Tested as “Spelling” on POST PELLETB.

Choosing the correctly spelled word for the sentence, from four spellings of the same word.

Where people lose it

Staring until every option looks wrong. Recognition fades fast under scrutiny, and the first reading is usually the accurate one.

How to work itRankHigh method

  1. Read the sentence, not just the options — it tells you which word is meant.
  2. Say the word in your head and break it into syllables. Most errors live in one syllable.
  3. Check the usual suspects: doubled consonants, ie/ei, -ance against -ence, -tion against -sion.
  4. Pick the one that looks right on first sight and move on. Do not re-read it four times.

Your first reading is usually the accurate one. Second-guessing spelling costs more than it saves.

Spelling — LASD Deputy Sheriff Trainee

Tested as “Spelling” on LASD Deputy Sheriff Trainee.

Choosing the correctly spelled word to complete a sentence, from several spellings of the same word — including a 'none of the above' option.

Where people lose it

Assuming one of the four spelled options must be right. LASD's own format includes a genuine 'none of the above', so a word you cannot confirm is not a reason to guess among what is in front of you.

How to work itRankHigh method

  1. Read the sentence first — it tells you exactly which word is needed.
  2. Sound the word out by syllable rather than staring at the whole string at once.
  3. Check doubled letters, silent letters and common suffix confusions (-able/-ible, -ance/-ence) one at a time.
  4. Only pick 'none of the above' after checking every option against the correct spelling you already know — not as a default when unsure.

Your first clear reading is usually right. 'None of the above' is a real answer here, not a trap.

Spelling — NY Clerical

Tested as “Spelling” on NY Clerical.

Deciding which of three business words is misspelled — or that none of them is, which is a real answer on this format and not a safety net.

Where people lose it

Choosing the longest or least familiar word. A word you would rarely type is not a word that is wrong, and the option saying nothing is misspelled is correct often enough that eliminating it costs marks.

How to work itRankHigh method

  1. Read each word to its ending. Most business misspellings are in the last third — ance against ence, able against ible, ment against mant.
  2. Check doubled letters deliberately: accommodate, occurrence and unnecessary all turn on one.
  3. Say the word to yourself and then look at it again. A spelling that sounds right and looks wrong is usually the one.
  4. Having found a suspect, still check the other two. The format only works if you can rule them out.

You are being asked whether a word would pass in a letter that leaves the office. Nothing more exotic than that.

Written Communication – Spelling

Tested as “Written Communication – Spelling” on BSCC/STC Corrections Entry.

Finding the one misspelled word among four options, or the one misspelled underlined word in a short paragraph.

Where people lose it

Reading each word in isolation instead of sounding it out. A word that looks fine at a glance is often the wrong one — the error is usually a single letter, not a garbled mess.

How to work itRankHigh method

  1. Read every option once before choosing. A word that looks right can still be wrong next to three that are also plausible.
  2. Check the classic error patterns first: doubled or missing consonants, ie vs ei, -ance vs -ence, silent letters, and homophones (their/there, its/it's).
  3. In the paragraph form, read the sentence around each underlined word — context sometimes reveals a wrong word choice, not just a wrong spelling.
  4. When unsure, write the word out mentally letter by letter rather than trusting how it looks.

Three of the four are already correct. Find what is different about the fourth, not what looks unfamiliar.

Carry this into the room

  • Spelling — POST PELLETB: Your first reading is usually the accurate one. Second-guessing spelling costs more than it saves.
  • Spelling — LASD Deputy Sheriff Trainee: Your first clear reading is usually right. 'None of the above' is a real answer here, not a trap.
  • Spelling — NY Clerical: You are being asked whether a word would pass in a letter that leaves the office. Nothing more exotic than that.
  • Written Communication – Spelling: Three of the four are already correct. Find what is different about the fourth, not what looks unfamiliar.

Practice it on your own exam

Method only sticks against real questions. Every exam in the catalog opens with a free twelve-question diagnostic — in your browser, with a worked explanation for every answer, and no signup.

Find your exam