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Primary English · Year 6Chapter 2 · Spelling -ant, -ent, -able and -ible
Year 6 English · Spelling -ant, -ent, -able and -ible · Lesson 2.2

Year 6 English: The endings -ent, -ence and -ency, from a word family

Part of the Year 6 English spelling -ant, -ent, -able and -ible chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

2.2

The endings -ent, -ence and -ency, from a word family

Year 6
Spell -ent, -ence and -ency by choosing from a related word in the same family (Y5-6 spelling)
Story. Leah is writing a report about the school choir. She describes the excellent singers, the patient conductor and the urgency of the competition, and she writes about confidence on stage.

Other nouns end in -ence or -ency, and their related adjectives end in -ent. Again, find the word family, then take off -ent and add -ence or -ency.

Check the word family first, because the family tells you which ending is right.

Words with -ent and their nouns

Word with -entNoun with -ence or -encyMeaning of the noun
confidentconfidencebelief in yourself and what you can do
independentindependencebeing free from the control of others
innocentinnocencebeing not guilty, or not harmful
obedientobediencedoing what you are told
excellentexcellencebeing very good indeed
patientpatiencestaying calm while you wait
intelligentintelligencebeing able to learn and think well
fluentfluencyspeaking easily and smoothly
urgenturgencyneeding action at once
frequentfrequencyhow often something happens

Key ideas

  • A word that ends in -ent often has a noun in -ence or -ency.
  • Take off -ent, then add -ence or -ency.
  • Check the family word, not the sound.
Worked example 2.2.1
Write the noun made from confident, which means belief in yourself.

Method. Take off -ent, then add -ence.

  1. Find the base word. Confident ends in -ent.
    confident
  2. Change the ending. Take off -ent and add -ence: confid + ence.
    confidence
  3. Write the noun. Confidence means belief in yourself.
    confidence
  4. Write the answer.
    confidence

Check. confident - ent + ence = confidence. ✓

Worked example 2.2.2
Write the noun made from urgent, which means needing action at once.

Method. Take off -ent, then add -ency.

  1. Find the base word. Urgent ends in -ent.
    urgent
  2. Change the ending. Take off -ent and add -ency: urg + ency.
    urgency
  3. Write the noun. Urgency means needing action at once.
    urgency
  4. Write the answer.
    urgency

Check. urgent - ent + ency = urgency. ✓

Watch out. Some -ent words take -ency, not -ence. Check the family word.

Worked example 2.2.3
Which spelling is correct for the noun from fluent: fluence or fluency?

Method. Use the family word, then change the ending.

  1. Find the base word. Fluent ends in -ent, so the noun ends in -ence or -ency.
    fluent
  2. Change the ending. Take off -ent and add -ency: flu + ency.
    fluency
  3. Compare the spellings. Fluence is not the family spelling for fluent.
    fluency
  4. Write the answer.
    fluency

Check. fluent - ent + ency = fluency. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: some -ent words take -ence and some take -ency. Do not guess. Check the family word and its noun, and learn the noun when you meet it.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Make a card with the -ent word on one side and the noun on the other. Ask your child to say the noun, then turn the card over to check the spelling.

Exercise 2B  Practice: -ent, -ence and -ency

1
FWrite the noun made from confident, which means: belief in yourself and what you can do.
2
FWrite the noun made from independent, which means: being free from the control of others.
3
FWrite the noun made from innocent, which means: being not guilty, or not harmful.
4
FWrite the noun made from obedient, which means: doing what you are told.
5
FWrite the noun made from excellent, which means: being very good indeed.
6
FWrite the noun made from patient, which means: staying calm while you wait.
7
FWrite the noun made from intelligent, which means: being able to learn and think well.
8
FWrite the noun made from fluent, which means: speaking easily and smoothly.
9
PSWhich spelling is correct for the noun from independent? Choose one: independance or independence.
10
RExplain in one sentence how to spell the noun from innocent.
11
PSWrite the adjective that gives the noun excellence. Write the word only.
12
PSWrite one sentence about a choir that uses the word confidence correctly.
13
PSCorrect the spelling in this sentence: The obediance of the dog was excellent.
14
FWrite the noun made from frequent, which means how often something happens. Write the word only.
15
FWrite the noun made from patient, which means staying calm while you wait. Write the word only.
16
RExplain why urgency ends in -ency, not -ence, using the word family.
17
PSWrite the noun made from intelligent, which means being able to learn and think well. Write the word only.
18
PSWrite one sentence about a patient teacher. Use the word patience correctly.

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