Select the correctly spelt word to fill in the blank. There were only a few _________ trees on the top of the hill.
The question asks us to identify the correctly spelt word that fits into the blank in the sentence: "There were only a few _________ trees on the top of the hill." This is a common English spelling question that tests vocabulary and knowledge of correct word forms.
The word required for the blank describes how the trees were distributed – spread out irregularly or sparsely over an area. The correct spelling for this word is "scattered".
In the given sentence, "There were only a few scattered trees on the top of the hill," the word "scattered" accurately describes the sparse and irregular distribution of trees. It implies that the trees were not growing closely together but were spread out individually or in small, isolated groups across the hilltop.
Let's look at the meaning and form of the word:
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scattered | Adjective (Past Participle) | Spread or distributed irregularly over a wide area. | The farmer scattered seeds across the field. (verb) The crowd scattered when it started raining. (verb) We saw scattered clouds in the sky. (adjective) |
Let's examine the provided options to understand why "scattered" is the correct choice and why the others are incorrect.
The correct form involves the root "scatter" with a double 't' before the '-ed' suffix, forming the word "scattered".