Final answer:
The spelling for the /ch/ sound is used when the sound follows an accented short vowel, particularly at the end of a word or in a VCC string. The correct answer is option c.
Step-by-step explanation:
The spelling for the /ch/ sound is often found under specific circumstances in the English language. This particular spelling convention is used when the /ch/ sound follows a vowel-r combination, where the /ch/ sound occurs at the end of a free stem and after a stressed short vowel, or in a VCC (vowel-consonant-consonant) string.
It is less common than the spelling, but it is part of a predictable pattern. For example, in the word patch, the /ch/ sound follows the accented short vowel a, and the word ends with the /ch/ sound, so it is spelled .
In contrast, the /ch/ sound in words like chalk, research, and teacher are spelled with as they do not follow this rule. Thus, taking these rules into account, the correct answer to the quiz question is option c: When the /ch/ sound follows an accented short vowel.