L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Level A
1. Which of these words comes from the French word ‘parler’ which means to speak?
A) parting
B) parliament
C) partner
2. Which of these words comes from the Greek work ‘biblos’ that means book?
A) imbibe
B) bib
C) bible
3. Which of these words comes from the Hindu word ‘bangla’ meaning a kind of house?
A) bungle
B) bungalow
C) bung
4. Which of these words comes from the Italian word ‘sala’ meaning a large reception hall?
A) salon
B) sale
C) salty
5. Which of these words is of Greek origin?
A) chimpanzee
B) chorus
C) chutney
6. Which of these words is of Greek origin?
A) chrome
B) chicken
C) charm
7. Which of these words is different from the others?
A)
B)
C)
D)
bright
flight
site
fight
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
8. Which of these words is different from the others?
A)
B)
C)
D)
cough
enough
tough
rough
9. Which of these words is different from the others?
A)
B)
C)
D)
ring
cringe
wing
sing
10. Which of these words is different from the others?
A)
B)
C)
D)
kitchen
itch
stitch
rich
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Level B
1. Which of these words does not come from ‘psyche’, the Greek word for mind?
A) physics
B) psychic
C) psychology
2. Which of these words does not come from ‘chronos’, the Greek word for time ?
A) chronicle
B) chronology
C) chrome
3. Which of these words does not come from ‘phone’, the Greek word for sound?
A) telephone
B) microphone
C) microscope
4. In which of these words is the ch sound pronounced in the Greek way like K?
A) cholesterol
B) chore
C) choose
5. In which of these words is the p silent and not pronounced?
A) prospect
B) pneumonia
C) pleasant
6. In which of these words is there a silent w which is not pronounced?
A) wrinkle
B) winking
C) wicked
7. In which of these words is there a silent b at the end which is not pronounced?
A) grab
B) club
C) thumb
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
8. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
A) sign
B) grasp
C) ghost
9. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
A) wrestle
B) gnaw
C) strap
10. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
A) knock
B) strict
C) half
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Level C
1. Which of these words has a prefix that means under?
A) biology
B) submarine
C) circumference
2. Which of these words has a prefix that means self?
A) autopilot
B) repetition
C) interview
3. Which of these words has a prefix that means life?
A) bicycle
B) geography
C) biology
4. Which of these words has a prefix that means good?
A) supersize
B) beautiful
C) benefit
5. Which of these words does not have a prefix that means three?
A) tricycle
B) biceps
C) triangle
6. Which of these words does not begin with a prefix that means one single?
A) monster
B) monorail
C) monotone
7. Which of these words does not have a prefix that means many?
A) multitude
B) multimedia
C) monochrome
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
8. Which of these words does not have a suffix meaning examination?
A) autopsy
B) biopsy
C) operation
9. Which of these words does not a have a suffix meaning fear of?
A) paraplegia
B) agoraphobia
C) claustrophobia
10. Which of these words does not have a suffix meaning inflammation?
A) tonsilitis
B) pilates
C) arthritis
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Answers
Level A
1. Which of these words comes from the French word ‘parler’ which means to speak?
The correct answer is: B. Parliament comes from the french ‘parler’ and is a place where
people speak.
2. Which of these words comes from the Greek work ‘biblos’ that means book?
The correct answer is: C. Bible comes from the Greek word ‘biblos’; it is a collection of
religious writings.
3. Which of these words comes from the Hindu word ‘bangla’ meaning a kind of house?
The correct answer is: B. Bungalow comes from the Hindu word ‘bangla’ – it is a single storey
house.
4. Which of these words comes from the Italian word ‘sala’ meaning a large reception hall?
The correct answer is: A. Salon comes from the Italian word ‘sala’. A salon is another word for
a parlour.
5. Which of these words is of Greek origin?
The correct answer is: B. Chorus is of Greek origin. When ‘ch’ is pronounced ‘k’ that is a clue.
6. Which of these words is of Greek origin?
The correct answer is: A. Chrome is of Greek origin. When ‘ch’ is pronounced ‘k’ that is a
clue.
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
7. Which of these words is different from the others?
The correct answer is: C. Site is different: although it has the same sound as all the other
words it is spelt ‘ite’ not ‘ight’
8. Which of these words is different from the others?
The correct answer is: A. Cough is different: although it has the same spelling as all the other
words it is pronouonced ‘off’ not ‘uff’.
9. Which of these words is different from the others?
The correct answer is: B. Cringe is different: the ‘e’ on the end of ‘ing’ turns the ‘g’ from hard
to soft.
10. Which of these words is different from the others?
The correct answer is: D. Rich is different: although it has the same sound as all the other
words it is spelt ‘ich’ not ‘itch’
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Level B
1. Which of these words does not come from psyche, the Greek word for mind?
The correct answer is: A. Physics comes from physic, the Greek word for natural science. The
other two words come from the Greek word for mind.
2. Which of these words does not come from chronos, the Greek word for time ?
The correct answer is: C. Chrome comes from the Greek word for colour; the other two words
are from the Greek word for time.
3. Which of these words does not come from phone, the Greek word for sound?
The correct answer is: C. Microscope comes from the Greek words for small and viewing
meaning an instrument for viewing something that is small; the other two words are from the
Greek word for sound.
4. In which of these words is the ch sound pronounced in the Greek way like K?
The correct answer is: A. Cholesterol is pronounced in the Greek way like K.
5. In which of these words is the p silent and not pronounced?
The correct answer is: B. In pneumonia, the p is silent and the word is read as if it began with
an N.
6. In which of these words is there a silent w which is not pronounced?
The correct answer is: A. Wrinkle has a silent w at the beginning which is not pronounced
when you read.
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
7. In which of these words is there a silent b at the end which is not pronounced?
The correct answer is: C. Thumb has a silent b at the end which is not pronounced.
8. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
The correct answer is: B. Grasp has no silent letters. Sign has a silent g and ghost has a
silent h.
9. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
The correct answer is: C. Strap has no silent letters. Wrestle has a silent r and gnaw has a
silent g.
10. Which of these words does not contain a silent letter?
The correct answer is: B. Strict has no silent letters. Knock has a silent ‘k’ and half has a silent
‘l’.
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
Level C
1. Which of these words has a prefix that means under?
The correct answer is: B. Sub is the prefix that means under, so submarine is the word with
that prefix.
2. Which of these words has a prefix that means self?
The correct answer is: A. Auto is the prefix that means self, so autopilot is the word with that
prefix.
3. Which of these words has a prefix that means life?
The correct answer is: C. Bio is the prefix that means life, so biology is the word with that
prefix.
4. Which of these words has a prefix that means good?
The correct answer is: C. Bene is the prefix that means good, so benefit is the word with that
prefix.
5. Which of these words does not have a prefix that means three?
The correct answer is: B. Biceps begins with the prefix bi, which means two. The other two
words begin with tri which means three.
6. Which of these words does not begin with a prefix that means one single?
The correct answer is: A. Mono is the prefix that means one single. Monster does not have a
prefix. The other two words begin with the prefix mono.
© BBC 2011
L1
Recognising letters and words quiz
7. Which of these words does not have a prefix that means many?
The correct answer is: C. Monochrome begins with mono, the prefix that means one single.
The other two words begin with the prefix multi which means many.
8. Which of these words does not have a suffix meaning examination?
The correct answer is: C. opsy is a suffix meaning examination. Operation does not have that
suffix.
9. Which of these words does not a have a suffix meaning fear of?
The correct answer is: A. phobia is a suffix meaning fear of. Paraplegia does not have that
suffix.
10. Which of these words does not have a suffix meaning inflammation?
The correct answer is: B. itis is a suffix meaning inflammation. Pilates does not end with that
suffix.
© BBC 2011