Select the most appropriate option that rectifies the underlined incorrectly…
2025
Select the most appropriate option that rectifies the underlined incorrectly spelt word in the
given sentence.
The city passed a new ordineance to regulate noise levels in residential areas.
- A.
ordinence
- B.
ordinace
- C.
ordnance
- D.
ordinance
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept: In error-spotting / spelling-correction items, the task is to identify the standard, dictionary-correct spelling of the underlined word while preserving the sentence's intended meaning. A string that looks similar but is itself a real word with a different meaning (a "confusable pair") is a common distractor, not a valid substitute.
Application: The underlined word "ordineance" is not a standard English spelling. The sentence describes a city enacting a rule to regulate noise — the required word is a noun meaning "a law or regulation issued by a governing authority". That word is spelled "ordinance" (ordi- + -nance, from Latin ordinare, "to arrange/order").
Contrast:
"ordinence" ends in "-ence" instead of "-ance" after "ordin-" and is not a recognised English word.
"ordinace" omits the letter "n" before "-ance" in the root "ordin-" and is not a recognised English word.
"ordnance" is a correctly spelled English word (without the second "i"), but it denotes military weapons, ammunition, and supplies — a different word with a different meaning.
"ordinance" is the correctly spelled English word for an authoritative rule or regulation enacted by a governing body such as a city council, matching the sentence's context.
Answer: So the underlined word should be corrected to "ordinance".