You can keep your results secret

Up to half of us are getting confused over simple words and phrases, according to the team at the Oxford University Press.

Breakfast talked to Catherine Soanes from the Concise Oxford English Dictionary, and Professor John Wells from University College London

Try Breakfast's very own spelling test to see whether you make the grade:

Question 1

If you let someone do what they want, do you give them

A: free reign? B: free rain? C: free rein?

Question 2

When you try to calm a difficult situation, do you

A: diffuse the tension? B: defuse the tension? C: diffuze the tension?

Question 3

If you stick to the rules, do you

A: tow the line? B: too the line C: toe the line

Question 4

For my exams, I've been

A: poring over my revision notes B: pouring over my revision notes C: pawing over my revision notes

Question 5

On the last day of school, the children ceremonially burned

A: there uniforms B: their uniforms C: they're uniforms

Question 6

The train was crowded. There were

A: to many passengers B: two many passengers C: too many passengers

Question 7

The two sides reached an agreement in

A: principle B: principal C: principel

Question 8

Whenever spelling was discussed, there was always an

A: argument B: arguement C: arguemant

Question 9

To reach the final of Strictly Come Dancing, Natasha had to

A: practise for 180 hours B: practice for 180 hours C: practisse for 180 hours

Question 10

Tony Blair is in charge of the

A: govamant B: government C: goverment

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