The pronunciation and spelling of the word "was obligation" may seem tricky at first glance. The word "was" is pronounced as /wʌz/ and means the past tense of "be". On the other hand, "obligation" is pronounced as /ɑːblɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/ and means a duty or responsibility. The two words are typically not used together in common usage, so spelling "was obligation" correctly may not be a common occurrence. However, IPA phonetic transcription can be useful in clarifying the pronunciation and spelling of words.