Year 6 Spelling Summary

In the Year 6, pupils are assessed on their spelling ability in a Key Stage Two
test (SATs). Below is a table of spelling rules that are taught in previous years
and revisited in year 6. Year 6 children are expected to know these rules and be
able to use them consistently.

Spelling is not only a matter of simply learning to spell and write a few words
each week – it requires an understanding of how word sounds are built up from
letters. It also makes the process of writing easier, since spelling becomes
intuitive, allowing children to use ambitious vocabulary.

Word Type Rule Examples

Plurals Just add –s to the attempts, carriages, castles,
root (usually when it creatures, engines, foundations,
More than one of ends in a consonant hedges, materials, pieces, selects,
something. or –e) stripes, structures, visitors, articles,
remains,
When a word ends in bodies, cities, families
–y, change y to i,
then add -es
Some plurals change people, feet, teeth, sheep
the word completely,
or don’t change at
all…
Other plural rules:
 If a word ends in –ch,
-sh, -x or -s you need to add – watch -> watches
es to the end
 Some words ending
in –f have the f changed to v
thief -> thieves
then add –es, but some just roof -> roofs ; hoof -> hooves
add –s.
 If a word ends in –o it
might just get an s added (e.g video -> videos ; radio -> radios
we all said our hellos, whilst
polishing our halos) or it might
potato -> potatoes ; tomatoes
have to have an –es (cave
systems can contain one
grotto, or many grottoes).
Usually, it’s an –s for a vowel+o
at the end of the word, and –es
for a consonant+o

Verb endings Add –ing for according, building, climbing,

Present/future present/future tense extinguishing, fighting, gleaming,
tense interesting, sprawling, spreading,
vanishing, during

Verb endings drop final -e before challenging, escaping, exciting,

Present/future adding -ing including, moving, raising, wrestling,
tense amazing,
Word Type Rule Examples
Verb endings Protect short vowel beginning, planning, stopping,
Present/future sounds by doubling swimming
tense the last consonant
before adding -ing
Verb Endings Add –ed for past absorbed, camped, delivered,
Past tense tense. designed, developed, disappeared,
disturbed, echoed, finished,
rehearsed, remained, stretched,
transformed, transported, uncoiled,
discovered,
Verb endings Protect short vowel grabbed, occurred, planned, slipped,
Past tense sounds, usually in stopped, trapped
one/two syllable root
words, by doubling
the last consonant
before adding -ed
Verb Endings When a word ends in carried, qualified, satisfied
Past tense –y, change y to i,
then add -ed
Verb endings Some verbs just add arrived, disguised, excited,
Past tense –d illuminated, injured, involved, judged,
released, replaced, required
Adverbs 1. Double actually, carefully, generally,
-ly words to add consonants to protect gradually, physically
detail to verbs short vowels

Adverbs 2. just add –ly to frequently, gingerly, highly,

-ly words to add words ending in a importantly, particularly, perfectly,
detail to verbs consonant or after a smoothly, thoroughly
long vowel

Adverbs 3. where a terminal approximately, extremely

-ly words to add -e is making a long
detail to verbs vowel sound
elsewhere in the
word, leave it alone
and add –ly
Adverbs 4. Where a terminal – gently
-ly words to add e is not influencing
detail to verbs another vowel,
remove it before
adding -ly
Word Type Rule Examples
-ie- or –ei- words i before e except believe, pierce <- both are /ee/
after c? Kind of… sounds
Note: This is a tricky It’s actually,
one, since the most When the sound is
common words
using the pattern
/ee/, put i before e,
frequently don’t unless it follows a c.
follow the rule… For all other sounds,
friend being the most use -EI- … unless
obvious. you know that it’s
wrong.

Words that use - These are one of audience, centre, century, excellent,
c- to make an /s/ those odd word exciting, necessary, notice, silence,
sound groups that you just participate, precious, currency
have to ‘know’.

Prefixes Need to know all key advertise, almost, destructive,

Prefixes alter the meaning
of the word.
Various Suffixes
Suffixes alter the meaning
of the word, usually in co-
operation with a prefix,
and often with regard to
action or strength of
meaning.
prefixes. disappeared, disturbed, encounter,
Ad – encourage, ensure, important,
Al – injured, inspecting, invention,
Des – involved, preserve, prevent, produce,
Dis – together, transformed, transported,
En - uncoiled, unusual, discovered,
Ex - exclusive, unusual, despite,
In – responsible
Im –
Pre -
Pro –
Re -
Trans –
Un –
Need to know all key beautiful, carefully, colourful,
suffixes + rules to effortless, hopeful, regardless,
add them, based on successful, wonderful, responsible
final letter of root
words (these are largely the
same as the ones for adding –
ly.)
Most important rule is
that if a root word
ends in a vowel, and
the suffix starts with
one – something will
have to change!

Superlatives Add –est to denote biggest, largest, nastiest, tallest,

A specific suffix the ‘best’ of a group widest
of objects
Comparatives Add –er to make taller, larger, bigger, nastier, wider
A specific suffix direct comparisons
Word Type Rule Examples
Compound Some words are countryside, headquarters,
words made by joining two themselves, throughout
words together
Double Used to apprehensive, common, different,
consonants protect/create short difficult, excellent, follow, million,
vowel sounds in opposite, passenger, pollution, press,
words slippery, still, successful, sunny,
permission, currency, common,
opportunity,
Silent letters + /j/ Many letters are castles, climbing, designed, different,
sounds used ‘silently’ in environment, hedges, interesting,
words. Children knowledge, known, should, strength,
should be able to stretched, surprise, wrestling
identify their
presence by
considering the word
structure.
/j/ can be made using
–j- , -g- , -ge- , -ge- or
–dge-
/shun/ sound There are five ways Completion, destination, direction,
of spelling this foundations, generation invention,
sound: pollution, question
shun; for the word
‘shun’
-cian; for words
describing jobs
-tion; as a suffix
linked to actions
-sion; often for
emotive words and
adjectives
-tian
-ive words Usually used as a apprehensive, destructive, expensive
A specific suffix suffix; often
misspelled as -iv, -
eve or –ave. It
follows the normal
suffix rules
-al words Another suffix; often special, digital, festival, individual,
A specific suffix misspelled as -el original
/ee/ sounds Can be made in a accuracy, emergency, noisy, ready,
number of ways. sunny
Frequently
misspelled at the end
of words, where a –y
should be used.
Homophones These words have heard (herd), practice (practise),
the same sound as weight (wait), where (wear, ware)
another, but are spelt
differently
Word Type Rule Examples
Common Words These words amongst, anchors, audience, aware,
incorporate a range between, breeze, capable, change,
of spelling rules and complete, crawl, crept, first, future,
sound patterns, journey, moment, most, mysterious,
including some of perform, press, purpose, realistic,
those listed above serious, shook, silence, sneeze,
symbol, technique, top, tumble,
luxury, delicate, ordinary, fibres,