Spelling Words than—used to compare two unequal things She is taller than you. I would rather be tall than be short. then —next in order of time and/or place The students start with the DOL, then they begin their classwork. its —possessive form of it The book has lost its cover. it’s —contraction of it + is or it + has It’s going to be a long year! tried —past tense of try (change the –y to an –i when adding –ed) You might have tried your best, but your best wasn’t good enough.

Labyrinth Definition: maze; complex structure of connected passageways; intricate Example: Applying to college can be a labyrinth of rules and regulations.

Maneuver Definition: planned movement that requires skill; plan skillfully Example: The driver maneuvered through the accident.

Nocturnal Definition: of, relating to, or occurring at night Example: Humans are not meant to be nocturnal animals, however many have adapted due to their work or play schedule.

Plateau Definition: stable level; level off; level of no growth or decline Example: My weight has hit a plateau.

Quandary Definition: dilemma; condition of uncertainty or doubt Example: I am in a quandary of what phone to buy.

Recede Definition: to move back or away from a limit, degree, point, or mark; slope backward; to diminish Example: As males tend to age, their hairline starts to recede.

Sacrifice Definition: act of giving up something highly valued; offering something for forgiveness Example: The mother sacrificed her life to save her child’s life.

Stereotype Definition: oversimplified idea or image held by common members of a group; fixed form Example: Stereotypes put individuals into categories that do not necessarily portray those individuals.

Tariff Definition: a tax or duty imposed by a government on a category of imported or exported goods Example: Governments generally impose tariffs to raise revenue and to protect from foreign competition.

Unanimous Definition: fully in agreement; sharing the same opinion Example: It was a unanimous decision that he should not be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.