Worst — choose the word that rhymes with the given word

Analyze the question: You need the word that rhymes with "worst". Rhyming words share the same vowel sound and the same ending sounds.

Explain the concept: Rhyme depends on sound, not spelling. So we transcribe the word and compare the sounds.

Solution:

• Worst is pronounced /wɜːst/. The vowel is /ɜː/ and the ending is /-st/.

Now check each option:

• A. burst /bɜːst/. Vowel /ɜː/ plus /-st/. It matches exactly, so it rhymes.
• B. haste /heɪst/. The vowel is /eɪ/, which is different.
• C. guessed /ɡest/. The vowel is /e/, which is different.
• D. perched /pɜːtʃt/. The vowel is the same, but it ends in /-tʃt/ instead of /-st/, so it is not a perfect rhyme.

Answer: A. burst

Exam tip: In rhyme questions, ignore the spelling and match the vowel sound plus everything after it. "Worst" and "burst" look different but sound the same at the end. Watch out for options like "perched" that share the vowel but have a different ending.