Year 4 English: The statutory word list: interest to opposite
Part of the Year 4 English the statutory word list and the dictionary chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The statutory word list: interest to opposite
This section covers the middle words of the second half of the statutory list, from interest to opposite.
Some words have a letter that is written but not said, such as the s in island and the k in knowledge. Other words have a double letter, such as occasion and opposite.
Two entries are a pair: occasion is a special time, and occasionally means now and then. Both keep the double c.
Key ideas
- Island has an s that is written but not said.
- Knowledge starts with a k that is not said, and it ends in -dge.
- Library has two r letters. Say lib-rar-y, and write both.
- Occasion and occasionally both have a double c, but only occasionally ends in -ally.
Method. Match the meaning to the word on the list, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a building or room where books are kept for people to borrow
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word on the list with this meaning.library
- Check the tricky part. Say lib-rar-y. The word has two r letters.Tricky part: rar
- Write the answer. library
Check. Read library and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. Say lib-rar-y. The word has two r letters.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.Did you ___ the new sign on the gate?
- Find the word that fits the meaning. to see or spot something, or a sign that gives informationnotice
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.Did you notice the new sign on the gate?
- Write the answer. notice
Check. Read the whole sentence with notice in it. ✓
Watch out. The c makes the s sound, and the word ends in -ce.
Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word, and look at each letter. Read every letter in order.knowledge
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 2 letter(s) in a row.2 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The k is written but not said. Dge is at the end.kn
Check. Put kn back in the box and read knowledge. ✓
Watch out. The k is written but not said. Dge is at the end.
Watch out
Watch out: a silent letter is written but not said. Do not leave out the letter just because you do not say it. Library, knowledge and island each need the silent letter written.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to say the word knowledge, then point to the k and the d. Ask which letters are written but not said.
Exercise 2D Practice: interest to opposite
Method. Match the meaning to the word on the list, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a feeling of wanting to know more about something
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word on the list with this meaning.interest
- Check the tricky part. Say in-ter-est, and keep the e after the r.Tricky part: est
- Write the answer. interest
Check. Read interest and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. Say in-ter-est, and keep the e after the r.
Method. Match the meaning to the word on the list, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.a piece of land with water all around it
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word on the list with this meaning.island
- Check the tricky part. The s is written but not said.Tricky part: s
- Write the answer. island
Check. Read island and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The s is written but not said.
Method. Match the meaning to the word on the list, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.what you know, from learning or from experience
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word on the list with this meaning.knowledge
- Check the tricky part. The k is written but not said. Dge is at the end.Tricky part: kn
- Write the answer. knowledge
Check. Read knowledge and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. The k is written but not said. Dge is at the end.
Method. Match the meaning to the word on the list, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. Think about what the clue describes.to find out or gain new skills by studying or practising
- Find the word that matches. Think of the one word on the list with this meaning.learn
- Check the tricky part. Ear is in the middle, and the word ends in n.Tricky part: ear
- Write the answer. learn
Check. Read learn and check each letter against the word. ✓
Watch out. Ear is in the middle, and the word ends in n.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.Measure the ___ of the table with a ruler.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. how long something is, from one end to the otherlength
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.Measure the length of the table with a ruler.
- Write the answer. length
Check. Read the whole sentence with length in it. ✓
Watch out. The word ends in -ngth. There is no vowel between the n and the th.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.We walked to the ___ to choose a new book.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a building or room where books are kept for people to borrowlibrary
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.We walked to the library to choose a new book.
- Write the answer. library
Check. Read the whole sentence with library in it. ✓
Watch out. Say lib-rar-y. The word has two r letters.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.My new coat is made from a soft ___.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. what something is made from, such as wood or clothmaterial
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.My new coat is made from a soft material.
- Write the answer. material
Check. Read the whole sentence with material in it. ✓
Watch out. The ia is in the middle, and the word ends in -al.
Method. Think what the sentence means, then choose the word that fits the gap and its spelling.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Think what the sentence means.The nurse gave Grandad his ___ after breakfast.
- Find the word that fits the meaning. a substance that helps to cure or treat an illnessmedicine
- Put the word in the gap. Read the sentence again. It makes sense.The nurse gave Grandad his medicine after breakfast.
- Write the answer. medicine
Check. Read the whole sentence with medicine in it. ✓
Watch out. The c makes the s sound, and the word ends in -ine.
Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word, and look at each letter. Read every letter in order.mention
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 4 letter(s) in a row.4 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The word ends in -tion.tion
Check. Put tion back in the box and read mention. ✓
Watch out. The word ends in -tion.
Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word, and look at each letter. Read every letter in order.minute
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 3 letter(s) in a row.3 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. Minute can also mean very small. The spelling stays the same.ute
Check. Put ute back in the box and read minute. ✓
Watch out. Minute can also mean very small. The spelling stays the same.
Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word, and look at each letter. Read every letter in order.natural
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 2 letter(s) in a row.2 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. The ur is in the middle, and the word ends in -al.ur
Check. Put ur back in the box and read natural. ✓
Watch out. The ur is in the middle, and the word ends in -al.
Method. Read the whole word, then fill the box with the tricky letters.
- Say the whole word, and look at each letter. Read every letter in order.naughty
- Look at the empty box. The box stands for 4 letter(s) in a row.4 missing letter(s)
- Write the missing letters. Au and gh are together, then t and y at the end.augh
Check. Put augh back in the box and read naughty. ✓
Watch out. Au and gh are together, then t and y at the end.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word on the list.
- Look at notise. Compare it with the word notice.notise is not right
- Find the tricky part. The c makes the s sound, and the word ends in -ce.Tricky part: ce
- Write the word correctly. notice
Check. Read notice and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The c makes the s sound, and the word ends in -ce.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word on the list.
- Look at ocassion. Compare it with the word occasion.ocassion is not right
- Find the tricky part. Two c letters come together, then -asion at the end.Tricky part: cc
- Write the word correctly. occasion
Check. Read occasion and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. Two c letters come together, then -asion at the end.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word on the list.
- Look at occasionaly. Compare it with the word occasionally.occasionaly is not right
- Find the tricky part. Occasionally adds -ly to occasional, so the al stays.Tricky part: cc
- Write the word correctly. occasionally
Check. Read occasionally and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. Occasionally adds -ly to occasional, so the al stays.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word on the list.
- Look at offen. Compare it with the word often.offen is not right
- Find the tricky part. The t is written after the f, so learn the word.Tricky part: t
- Write the word correctly. often
Check. Read often and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. The t is written after the f, so learn the word.
Method. Compare the wrong spelling with the word on the list.
- Look at oppisite. Compare it with the word opposite.oppisite is not right
- Find the tricky part. Double p near the start, then -osite at the end.Tricky part: pp
- Write the word correctly. opposite
Check. Read opposite and check each letter. ✓
Watch out. Double p near the start, then -osite at the end.
Method. Say each word and find a letter that is written but not said.
- Look at island. The s is written but not said.s
- Look at knowledge. The k is written but not said.k
- Look at natural. Every letter is said, so there is no silent letter.none
- Write the answer. s, k (natural has no silent letter)
Check. island and knowledge each have a silent letter. ✓
Watch out. Not every word has a silent letter.
Method. Find the word with the meaning, then check its spelling.
- Read the meaning. A piece of land with water all around it.a piece of land
- Find the word. Island has an s that is not said.island
- Write the answer. island
Check. island is spelt with an s. ✓
Watch out. Notice does not mean land.
Method. Count the r letters in library.
- Look at library. Say lib-rar-y, and look at the letters.li-b-r-a-r-y
- Count the r letters. There are two r letters, one before the a and one after it.two r letters
- Write the answer. No. The word is spelt library, with two r letters, so the second r must be written.
Check. library has two r letters. ✓
Watch out. Write both r letters.
Method. Look for two c letters together in each word.
- Look at notice and natural. Each has one c, and no double c.notice: one c; natural: no c
- Look at occasion. The two c letters come together at the start.occasion: cc
- Write the answer. occasion
Check. occasion has cc. ✓
Watch out. Occasion has cc, then -asion.
Method. Use minute in a sentence that makes sense.
- Think of a unit of time. A minute is sixty seconds long.sixty seconds
- Write the sentence. Check the -ute ending.Please wait one minute while I find my bag.
- Write the answer. Accept any correct sentence with minute, for example: Please wait one minute while I find my bag.
Check. minute ends in -ute. ✓
Watch out. The spelling of minute stays the same, whatever it means.
Method. Look at the end of the word.
- Say the whole word. Read every letter in order.l-e-ng-th
- Find the tricky letters. The ngth is at the end, with no vowel between the n and the th.ngth
- Write the answer. ngth. The word ends in -ngth.
Check. length ends in -ngth. ✓
Watch out. Length has no e between the n and the th.