Home > English > Spelling > Year 4
Children are expected to spell a wide range of words correctly once they reach Year 4. The strategies learnt from Year 1 to Year 3 should be consistently applied to support accurate spelling. In addition to these strategies, students should focus on correctly spelling commonly confused words, known as homophones. Year 4 also covers how to spell words that include silent letters, and broadening knowledge and use of prefixes and suffix
Before we dive in, download our Year 4 spelling word lists. Keep reading to learn how you can help your child improve their spelling skills!
Suffixes are morphemes (groups of letters that can have a meaning on their own) that can be added to the end of a root word. This can sometimes change the meaning of a root word. Knowing a wide range of suffix spellings can really help children to develop confidence when attempting to spell new words.
Here’s a spelling list of suffixes that children will use in Year 4:
Prefixes are similar to suffixes, but are added to the beginning of a root word. A prefix, just like a suffix, can change the meaning of the root word. There are a wealth of prefixes that Year 4 students can learn to improve their overall spelling skills.
Share the list below with your child for spelling practice:
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings or spellings.
knight
night
flower
flour
Here’s a longer spelling list of homophones:
Boost your child's spelling skills by using images to learn homophones. For example, in this Night Zookeeper game, children have to identify the correct spelling for the meaning of the word shown in the picture.
In Year 4, children will discover more words that include silent letters. These are sometimes difficult words for children to spell as the letters aren't phonetically pronounced when the word is spoken aloud.
Here are some examples of words that include silent letters that your child will need to know:
Your child is expected to stretch their vocabulary by using a dictionary and thesaurus on a regular basis. They should know how to look for synonyms (similar words) and antonyms (opposites) and ensure that they spell them correctly when using them in their articles and stories. Children in Year 4 should also know how to quickly look up the spelling of new academic vocabulary, using their basic knowledge of the specific word, such as the opening two or three letters.
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