Let’s go through each question one by one.
---
Question 1: True cognates have:
We need to remember what “true cognates” mean. Cognates are words in two languages that look similar and mean the same thing — because they come from the same root word (often Latin or Greek).
Let’s check the options:
- “The exact same spelling in English and Spanish.” → Not always true. For example, “color” in English is “color” in Spanish too, but many cognates change slightly, like “nation” → “nación”. So this is too strict.
- “The same or similar spelling and the same meaning in English and Spanish.” → YES! That’s the definition of a true cognate. They look alike and mean the same thing.
- “Similar appearance but have a different meaning.” → That’s a *false* cognate (like “embarazada” which looks like “embarrassed” but means “pregnant”). So not correct for *true* cognates.
- “Always different spelling but the same meaning...” → No, that’s not right. Many true cognates have very similar spellings.
✔ So the correct answer is:
The same or similar spelling and the same meaning in English and Spanish.
---
Question 2: The following word is a true cognate but does not have the exact same spelling in English and Spanish:
We’re looking for a word that:
- Is a true cognate (same meaning)
- But spelled differently in Spanish vs. English
Check each option:
- “cordial” → In Spanish it’s also “cordial” → same spelling → doesn’t fit.
- “director” → In Spanish it’s “director” → same spelling → doesn’t fit.
- “postal” → In Spanish it’s “postal” → same spelling → doesn’t fit.
- “confusion” → In Spanish it’s “confusión” → almost the same, but has an accent mark and ends with “ón” instead of “ion”. Also, meaning is the same → so this fits!
Wait — let’s double-check. Is “confusion” really a true cognate? Yes — both mean “a state of being confused”.
And spelling is NOT exactly the same: English = confusion, Spanish = confusión.
So yes — this is the correct choice.
✔ Answer:
confusion
---
Question 3: The correct spelling of the word 'cosmetology' in Spanish:
In Spanish, many scientific or technical terms ending in “-logy” become “-logía”.
“Cosmetology” → study of cosmetics → in Spanish, it’s “cosmetología”.
Let’s check the options:
- cosmetologia → missing accent on “o” → incorrect
- cosmetologya → wrong ending → no such word
- cosmetologea → weird ending → not real
- cosmetología → YES! Correct spelling with accent on the “ó”
✔ Answer:
cosmetología
---
Final Answer:
1. The same or similar spelling and the same meaning in English and Spanish.
2. confusion
3. cosmetología
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of spanish cognate worksheet.
