Ages 9 to 11 · 103 words
Years 5 and 6 spelling list
The harder statutory words for the end of Year 6: the ones 11+ papers most like to misspell on purpose. Each word has a memory tip, and a link to the spelling rule it follows.
The words, A to Z
Words marked ‘tricky’ are the ones children most often get wrong.
A
- accommodatetricky
Big enough to accommodate two c's and two m's.
Rule: Words with double letters - accompany
Double c: ac-com-pa-ny.
Rule: Words with double letters - according
Double c: ac-cord-ing.
Rule: Words with double letters - achieve
i before e: ach-ie-ve.
Rule: ie or ei? - aggressivetricky
Double g and double s: ag-gres-sive.
Rule: Words with double letters - amateurtricky
Ends in -eur: am-a-teur.
- ancient
an + cient: the ie is the same as in efficient.
Rule: ie or ei? - apparenttricky
Double p, then 'a parent': ap-parent.
Rule: Words with double letters - appreciate
Double p, then c: ap-pre-ci-ate.
Rule: Words with double letters - attached
Double t at the start, but no t before ch: at-tached.
Rule: Words with double letters - available
avail + able: it is able to be used.
Rule: -able or -ible? - average
Ends in -age, like age: aver-age.
Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - awkward
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B
- bargain
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- bruisetricky
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C
- category
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - cemeterytricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - committeetricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - communicate
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- community
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- competition
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Rule: -tion, -sion, -ssion or -cian? - consciencetricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - conscioustricky
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Rule: Words ending in -ous - controversytricky
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- conveniencetricky
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- correspond
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- criticise
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Rule: Soft c and soft g - curiosity
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Rule: Words ending in -ous
D
- definitetricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - desperatetricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - determined
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Rule: Adding endings: drop the e, change the y - develop
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- dictionary
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - disastroustricky
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Rule: Words ending in -ous
E
- embarrasstricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - environment
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Rule: Adding endings: drop the e, change the y - equipment
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Rule: Doubling the last letter - equippedtricky
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Rule: Doubling the last letter - especially
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Rule: Adding -ly - exaggeratetricky
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- excellent
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Rule: Words with double letters - existencetricky
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- explanation
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Rule: -tion, -sion, -ssion or -cian?
F
- familiar
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Rule: -ar, -er or -or at the end? - foreigntricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - fortytricky
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- frequently
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Rule: Adding -ly
G
- government
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Rule: Adding endings: drop the e, change the y - guaranteetricky
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H
- harasstricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - hindrancetricky
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I
- identity
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- immediate
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Rule: Words with double letters - immediatelytricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - individual
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- interfere
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Rule: Adding prefixes - interrupttricky
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Rule: Words with double letters
L
- language
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Rule: Soft c and soft g - leisuretricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - lightningtricky
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Rule: ough, augh, eigh and ear
M
- marvelloustricky
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Rule: Doubling the last letter - mischievoustricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - muscle
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Rule: Silent letters
N
- necessarytricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - neighbourtricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - nuisancetricky
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O
- occupy
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Rule: Words with double letters - occur
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Rule: Words with double letters - opportunity
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Rule: Words with double letters
P
- parliamenttricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - persuade
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- physical
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- prejudicetricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - privilegetricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - profession
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Rule: -tion, -sion, -ssion or -cian? - programme
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Rule: Words with double letters - pronunciationtricky
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Rule: -tion, -sion, -ssion or -cian?
Q
- queuetricky
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R
- recognise
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Rule: British spellings - recommendtricky
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Rule: Words with double letters - relevant
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- restauranttricky
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- rhymetricky
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Rule: Silent letters - rhythmtricky
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Rule: Silent letters
S
- sacrificetricky
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Rule: Soft c and soft g - secretarytricky
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - shoulder
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- signature
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Rule: Silent letters - sincere
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- sincerelytricky
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Rule: Adding endings: drop the e, change the y - soldiertricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - stomachtricky
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- sufficienttricky
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Rule: ie or ei? - suggest
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Rule: Words with double letters - symbol
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- system
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T
- temperature
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - thoroughtricky
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Rule: ough, augh, eigh and ear - twelfthtricky
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V
- variety
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- vegetable
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Rule: Hidden vowels you can't hear - vehicletricky
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Y
- yachttricky
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Rule: Silent letters
Practise these words every day
In the daily spelling workout your child hears each word, spells it, and gets the tricky ones back until they stick. Five minutes a day.