Utah FORT Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Prep

Cognates are words in two languages that share a similar spelling, pronunciation, and meaning. This connection often arises because the languages originate from a common ancestor or have borrowed from each other. Familiar examples include 'information' in English and 'información' in Spanish, which are both similar in spelling, pronunciation, and meaning.

This concept is particularly useful in language learning, as recognizing cognates can help learners expand their vocabulary more easily by leveraging their knowledge of one language to understand another. Understanding cognates aids in vocabulary acquisition and comprehension, as students can make connections between words in their native language and those in the language they are learning.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately define cognates. Words that sound the same in different contexts refers to homophones, while words that are unrelated in meaning are not cognates at all. Additionally, words that are spelled differently but sound alike suggest a different relationship known as homonyms or near-homophones. Thus, the definition of cognates is accurately encapsulated in the choice that states they share similar spelling, pronunciation, and meaning across languages.