Framework for teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9

Appendix 3 Key Stage 3 spelling lists

General spelling list

The following list of spellings was compiled by a number of secondary schools who all identified the following words as common errors among this age group.

The list is not intended for blanket teaching, because most pupils will know how to spell most of the words, but it is recommended that early in Year 7, pupils should be helped to learn those spellings about which they still are uncertain.

accommodation	conclusion	explanation
actually	conscience	February
alcohol	conscious	fierce
although	consequence	forty
analyse/analysis	continuous	fulfil
argument	creation	furthermore
assessment	daughter	guard
atmosphere	decide/decision	happened
audible	definite	health
audience	design	height
autumn	development	imaginary
beautiful	diamond	improvise
beginning	diary	industrial
believe	disappear	interesting
beneath	disappoint	interrupt
buried	embarrass	issue
business	energy	jealous
caught	engagement	knowledge
chocolate	enquire	listening
climb	environment	lonely
column	evaluation	lovely
concentration	evidence	marriage

 

material	potential	sincerely
meanwhile	preparation	skilful
miscellaneous	prioritise	soldier
mischief	process	stomach
modern	proportion	straight
moreover	proposition	strategy
murmur	questionnaire	strength
necessary	queue	success
nervous	reaction	surely
original	receive	surprise
outrageous	reference	survey
parallel	relief	technique
participation	remember	technology
pattern	research	texture
peaceful	resources	tomorrow
people	safety	unfortunately
performance	Saturday	Wednesday
permanent	secondary	weight
persuade/persuasion	separate	weird
physical	sequence	women
possession	shoulder

 

Common homophones and confusions

Subject spelling lists

These lists of subject spellings were compiled by a number of secondary school departments. They identified the words listed as being words that were often needed and often incorrectly spelt. Schools may use these suggestions as the basis for local lists suitable for their own topics and needs. The list is not intended for blanket teaching, because all pupils will know how to spell some of the words. However, it is recommended that pupils should be helped to learn those spellings about which they are uncertain.