There is a word of 4 letters hidden between words that are next to each other.

The waiter will give you the menu.

My DS got 2 answers.

The waiter - Thew

the menu - them

The model answer was 'the menu'.

Should it have 2 ans? Please advice.

Thanks

Bristolmum

Thew isn't a word, is it?

The word THEW always appeals to my sense of humour.

One of my tutored children found the word thew and marked it as the answer.

If a child gets one of these questions incorrect I always write out the possibilities 3 and1, 2 and 2, 1 and 3 between the two words they have given me as the answer, I would then proudly say, "do you really think any of these are real words?"

The waiter

thew
hewa
ewai

The following week this boy had his dictionary open on the table and "proudly" showed me the word thew and its meaning!

Patricia

<scurries off to look it up>

Well, you learn something new each day!

Hi Patricia

Many thanks for your help and confirmation.

My DS did learn the word "thew" when he did other VR practice papers, but I could not remember which papers.

Bristolmum

My DC also wrote thew as the answer, which was duly marked wrong, but was not wrong. So after some argument ( ), we have 'compromised' by agreeing to put commonly used word (e.g. them) as the answer if there are more than one possibilities. DC found two or three more such instances so far, but I don't remember which papers.

Obviously ambiguity needs to be avoided but the odd error is bound to crop up. Then common sense needs to prevail. 'Thew' or 'them'? Hmmm, I wonder.

Although I don't usually underestimate children, isn't it bit much to expect them to have commonsense as well under exam conditions, when the question has two correct possible answers?

I think the test questions needs to be thoroughly checked before being put in the test papers. Similar question is in Tutors level 3 paper 7.

Clever... I learnt something!! thanks

I totally agree with you, coombeward.