100 Words Every 11+ Student Should Be Able to Spell

How to Use This List

This isn't a list to stare at. It's a structured tool designed for active practice. The 100 words are split into ten groups of ten, arranged by spelling pattern so that related words reinforce each other. Each group comes with a memory strategy to make the pattern stick.

Parents: this resource is designed to be used at the kitchen table, in the car (read the words aloud), or during short daily study sessions. You don't need to be a spelling expert yourself. Just read the word, let your child write it, and check together.

Group 1: -ough Words

The challenge: The letters "ough" can be pronounced at least five different ways in English. That's genuinely bizarre, and there's no getting around it. You just have to learn which sound goes with which word.

Memory strategy: Sort by sound. Learn the "uff" words together, then the "or" words, then the rest. Say each word aloud as you write it.

1. although — ough as "oh"
2. through — ough as "oo"
3. thought — ough as "or"
4. brought — ough as "or"
5. thorough — ough as "uh" (British pronunciation)
6. cough — ough as "off"
7. rough — ough as "uff"
8. enough — ough as "uff"
9. plough — ough as "ow"
10. borough — ough as "uh"

Group 2: Silent Letter Words

The challenge: Letters you can't hear are letters you'll forget to write. These words have ghosts lurking in their spelling.

Memory strategy: Use the "say it silly" technique. Pronounce the silent letter when you practise: "k-night", "is-land", "sub-t-le". The deliberate mispronunciation fixes the letter in memory.

1. knight — silent K
2. island — silent S
3. receipt — silent P
4. subtle — silent B
5. wrinkle — silent W
6. doubt — silent B
7. solemn — silent N
8. thumb — silent B
9. autumn — silent N
10. answer — silent W

For a deeper look at why English has silent letters and where they come from, see our silent letters guide.

Group 3: Double Consonant Words

The challenge: You often can't hear the difference between a single and double consonant, so spelling them correctly relies on memorisation and pattern knowledge.

Memory strategy: For each word, circle the double letters in a bright colour. Say the word while tapping twice for each double letter: "a-CC-o-MM-o-da-tion" (tap-tap for CC, tap-tap for MM).

1. beginning — double N
2. occurred — double C and double R
3. address — double D and double S
4. committee — double M, double T, double E
5. successful — double C and double S
6. necessary — single C, double S
7. embarrass — double R and double S
8. recommend — single C, double M
9. accommodation — double C and double M
10. occasionally — double C, single S

For the full doubling rule (when to double before suffixes), see our double letter spelling rules guide.

Group 4: -able and -ible Endings

The challenge: Both endings sound identical when spoken. You'd need superhuman hearing to tell them apart.

Memory strategy: If you can remove the ending and find a complete word, it's usually -able (comfort + able). If the root isn't a standalone word, it's often -ible (poss + ible). This shortcut works for about 80% of cases.

1. possible
2. terrible
3. visible
4. horrible
5. incredible
6. comfortable
7. adorable
8. reasonable
9. available
10. noticeable

Group 5: Tricky Vowel Patterns

The challenge: These words contain unstressed vowels that are barely audible in normal speech. You can say "definutly" and still be understood, but writing "definately" costs marks.

Memory strategy: Highlight or underline the tricky vowel in each word. Create a mnemonic for the worst offenders. "There is something finite inside definitely" is a classic.

1. definitely — the I after the N
2. separate — the first A (there's a rat in separate)
3. environment — the second N (there's iron in environment)
4. familiar — the second I
5. curiosity — the O after the I
6. temperature — the second E
7. business — the I after the S (bus-i-ness)
8. favourite — the OU
9. language — the second A
10. knowledge — the silent D (know + ledge)

Group 6: Exam Vocabulary

The challenge: These words appear constantly in 11+ papers, both in comprehension questions and in the stories students write. Misspelling them stands out because examiners see them so often.

Memory strategy: Use these words in your own sentences. The more you write them in context, the more automatic the spelling becomes.

1. description
2. character
3. adventure
4. mysterious
5. decision
6. attention
7. imagination
8. suddenly
9. throughout
10. opportunity

Group 7: Confusing Endings

The challenge: These come in pairs where the ending changes the meaning. One wrong letter and you've written a completely different word.

Memory strategy: Learn each pair together, always. Write both words side by side with their meanings. Test yourself by writing sentences that use both words correctly.

1. stationary — not moving (a = parked, at rest)
2. stationery — pens, paper, envelopes (e = envelopes)
3. principal — head teacher, or main (your pal)
4. principle — a rule or belief (a rule)
5. desert — dry sandy place (one S, it's dry)
6. dessert — sweet course (two S's, you want seconds)
7. advice — noun (ice is a noun)
8. advise — verb (wise is what you do)
9. licence — noun (British English)
10. license — verb (British English)

For a full guide to these and other confused pairs, see our article on words 11+ students confuse.

Group 8: Verb Forms and Tense Traps

The challenge: Some words change spelling in ways that aren't predictable from how they sound. "Breathe" and "breath" look almost identical but serve different jobs.

Memory strategy: Sort these into noun/verb pairs where applicable. For the others, write each form in a sentence: past, present, and (where relevant) the -ing form.

1. breathe — verb (to breathe in and out)
2. breath — noun (take a deep breath)
3. choose — present tense verb
4. chose — past tense of choose
5. lose — verb (to misplace)
6. loose — adjective (not tight)
7. practice — noun (football practice)
8. practise — verb (practise spelling)
9. weigh — verb (to measure weight)
10. height — noun (how tall something is)

Group 9: Comprehension Vocabulary

The challenge: These words appear in reading comprehension questions and in analytical writing. If you're quoting a technique or discussing a passage, you need to spell the technical terms correctly.

Memory strategy: Write a mini-definition for each word from memory. If you can define it, you're more likely to spell it correctly because you understand the word structure.

1. persuasion
2. technique
3. evidence
4. summary
5. analysis
6. paragraph
7. language
8. metaphor
9. repetition
10. contrast

Quick note on "technique": It comes from the Greek techne (art or skill), which is also the root of "technology". The -ique ending is French. Knowing this makes the unusual spelling feel more logical.

Group 10: Final Challenge Set

The challenge: This last batch contains words that don't fall neatly into any single pattern. They're individually tricky and worth learning one by one.

Memory strategy: Create your own memory trick for each word. The more personal and absurd, the better it sticks. Write each trick in a spelling journal alongside the word.

1. achieve — I before E (no C before it)
2. believe — don't lie: be-LIE-ve
3. conscience — con + science
4. conscious — contains "sci" (knowledge) and "ous" (full of)
5. rhythm — Rhythm Helps Your Two Hips Move
6. queue — Q plus four vowels standing in line
7. foreign — for + eign (silent G)
8. ancient — I before E, even though there's a C (exception!)
9. science — SC at the start, then -ience
10. sentence — sent + ence (like "sent" a message)

Ten-Week Practice Schedule

Here's a simple plan that parents can follow at home. It requires about 10-15 minutes per day.

Fill-in-the-Blank Review

Test yourself on one word from each group. Write the complete word for each gap.

1. She walked thr_____ the forest in silence. (Group 1)
2. The old castle on the i_____ was crumbling. (Group 2)
3. The hotel acc_____tion was excellent. (Group 3)
4. Is it poss_____ to finish by Friday? (Group 4)
5. He was def_____ going to pass the exam. (Group 5)
6. She made a brave dec_____ under pressure. (Group 6)
7. The car remained stat_____ at the traffic lights. (Group 7)
8. Take a deep br_____ before you begin. (Group 8)
9. The poet's use of met_____ was striking. (Group 9)
10. I bel_____ we can win this match. (Group 10)

Answers: 1. through, 2. island, 3. accommodation, 4. possible, 5. definitely, 6. decision, 7. stationary, 8. breath, 9. metaphor, 10. believe.

For more spelling practice, see our Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling list or test yourself on 30 commonly misspelled 11+ words.