Choose the correct spelling of the word meaning 'easily broken'.

Correct — B. The word meaning 'easily broken' is brittle: hard, but liable to crack or snap, like glass or thin ice.

Spell it by sound. The short i of brit is protected by a double t, and the word ends in -le, as in little and bottle.

Brit + tle → Brittle → option (b).

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  Brittel — Brittel has the double t but the wrong ending. The word ends in -le, like little, kettle and bottle, not -el.
• (c)
  Brittlle — Brittlle doubles the l as well as the t. Only the t doubles: the -le ending has a single l, as in little.
• (d)
  Britle — Britle drops a t. A single consonant before -le usually signals a long vowel, as in title and bible. Brittle has a short i, so the t doubles.

This item gives the meaning and tests the spelling. The word for 'easily broken' is brittle, used of glass, thin ice, old paper or weak bones.

English usually marks a short vowel before -le by doubling the consonant: little, bottle, kettle, puddle, brittle. A single consonant usually signals a long vowel: title, bible, table.

Say the word, hear the short i, and the double t follows. Then keep the ending as -le.

Key facts

• Brittle: hard but easily broken, as in brittle glass or brittle bones.
• Short vowel + double consonant + -le: little, bottle, kettle, brittle.
• A single consonant before -le usually marks a long vowel: title, bible, table.
• Antonyms of brittle include flexible, tough and resilient.

Common traps

• Writing -el, as in travel or model. Brittle takes -le, like little and bottle.
• Dropping one t because the word is said quickly. The short i needs the double t.

No directly related past PYQ was found.