Born in Miami, Florida, Mateo is a bilingual educator with a Master's in Spanish Education. He has spent the last decade developing Spanish curricula. Mateo is passionate about helping students master conversational Spanish and everyday vocabulary.
Respectfully means with respect. Respectively means in the order just given. I respectfully disagree. Gold and silver went to Kenya and Norway respectively. The test that settles it Respectfully contains full — full of respect. The other one is about order. Try it “___ submitted” → with respect, so respectfully. “aged 6 and 9 ___”…
A review is an assessment. A revue is a variety show. A book review. A satirical revue. The test that settles it The French spelling is the theatrical one. If it is not on a stage, it is review. Try it “a five-star ___” → an assessment, so review. “a musical ___” → a stage…
Right means correct or a direction. A rite is a ceremony. To write is to put words down. The right answer. A funeral rite. Write it down. The test that settles it Write starts with wr, like wrote and written. A rite is a ritual. Try it “last ___” → a ceremony, so rites. “___…
A role is a part played. To roll is to turn over, and a roll is a list or a small loaf. A leading role. Roll the dice. The test that settles it One l for the part in a play. Two l for everything else, including things that actually roll. Try it “a key…
Tortuous means twisting or overly complicated. Torturous means causing suffering. A tortuous mountain road. A torturous ordeal. The test that settles it Look for the extra r. Tor-tur-ous contains torture; tor-tu-ous does not. Try it “a ___ negotiation” → long and winding, so tortuous. “a ___ headache” → painful, so torturous. Tortuous: twisting, or convoluted…
Venal means corrupt and open to bribery. Venial means minor and forgivable. A venal official. A venial mistake. The test that settles it The longer word is the lighter offence. Venial has an extra i, and it means insignificant. Try it “a ___ judge” → taking bribes, so venal. “a ___ error” → a small…
Rain falls from the sky. A monarch reigns. A rein controls a horse. Heavy rain. A long reign. Take the reins. The test that settles it Reign and sovereign share the -eign. And a rein is a line — both spelled without the g. Try it “___ in spending” → controlling it, so rein. “the…
You raise something else. Things rise by themselves. Raise your hand. The sun rises. The test that settles it Ask what is being lifted. If there is an object after the verb, use raise. If not, use rise. Try it “prices ___ sharply” → no object, so rose. “they ___ prices” → an object, so…
Rational means reasonable. A rationale is the reasoning behind something. A rational decision. The rationale for it. The test that settles it The one with the final e is a thing. If you can put a or the in front, it is rationale. Try it “a ___ explanation” → describing it, so rational. “the ___…
Principal means main, or names a head of school. A principle is a rule or belief. The principal reason. A matter of principle. The test that settles it The principal is your pal — and that is also the spelling for the main one. Try it “the ___ cause” → the main one, so principal….
To precede is to come before. To proceed is to carry on. A short speech preceded the meal. Please proceed. The test that settles it Pre- means before, as in preview and prepare. Pro- means forward, as in progress. Try it “the chapter that ___ it” → comes before, so precedes. “___ to the exit”…
Premier means first or leading, and names a head of government. A premiere is a first performance. The country’s premier institution. The film’s premiere. The test that settles it The extra e is for the event. Openings, screenings and first nights all take premiere. Try it “the ___ league” → leading, so premier. “attended the…
Quiet means making little noise. Quite means fairly or completely. A quiet room. Quite good. The test that settles it This is usually a typing slip rather than a real confusion — the letters are simply transposed. Two syllables is quiet; one is quite. Try it “please be ___” → silent, so quiet. “___ difficult”…
A pedal is worked with the foot. To peddle is to sell. The brake pedal. He peddled fake watches. The test that settles it Pedal shares its root with pedestrian and pedicure — all about feet. Try it “___ harder up the hill” → feet, so pedal. “___ conspiracy theories” → selling them, so peddle….
To persecute is to harass unjustly. To prosecute is to bring a legal case. A minority persecuted for its beliefs. He was prosecuted for fraud. The test that settles it Ask whether a court is involved. Courts prosecute; oppressors persecute. Try it “___ under the Act” → a legal case, so prosecuted. “___ for their…