Spelling Word Lists (age 7+)
Spell words from the statutory word list for Years 3 and 4, including commonly misspelt words that do not follow regular patterns
What a learner can do afterwards
- Spell at least 20 words from the Y3-4 statutory list correctly (e.g., accident, believe, different, favourite, imagine)
- Identify tricky parts of statutory words and use a strategy to remember them (e.g., 'separate' has 'a rat' in the middle)
- Use statutory list words accurately in own writing across subjects
The lesson
Some words just don't spell the way they sound. Words like 'believe' and 'different' are on your school's tricky word list for Years 3 and 4. You can't sound them out, so you learn them by heart instead.
Believe has a small word hiding inside it: b-e-l-i-e-v-e. Can you see 'lie'? Try the trick: never believe a lie. That helps you remember the 'ie' comes before the 've'.
When a word feels tricky, look at it, say it out loud, cover it up, write it from memory, then check. If you get stuck, look for a small word or a funny picture hiding inside the big word.
Tricky words don't follow the rules, so learn them by heart with tricks like hidden words and look-cover-write-check.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
This opens up
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.