Year 6 English Silent letters and the statutory word list, part 1: check-up and practice test questions

Method. Look at the spelling pattern, then check which letter is not said.

1. Look at the spelling. The word has the pattern mb at the end.
   mb at the end
2. Find the silent letter. In lamb, the letter b is written but not said.
   b
3. Write the answer.
   b

Check. The silent letter in lamb is b. ✓

Watch out. A silent letter is written but not said. Learn the pattern, and the word, together.

Method. Look at the spelling pattern, then check which letter is not said.

1. Look at the spelling. The word has the pattern kn at the start.
   kn at the start
2. Find the silent letter. In knight, the letter k is written but not said.
   k
3. Write the answer.
   k

Check. The silent letter in knight is k. ✓

Watch out. A silent letter is written but not said. Learn the pattern, and the word, together.

Method. Think about the meaning, then check the spelling letter by letter.

1. Think about the meaning. The meaning is: to provide room or a place for someone.
   to provide room or a place for someone
2. Check the letters. The double letters in accommodate are c and m.
   accommodate
3. Write the answer.
   accommodate

Check. accommodate has the meaning given. ✓

Watch out. Say the word in syllables, then write each letter in order.

Method. Think about the meaning, then check the spelling letter by letter.

1. Think about the meaning. The meaning is: a group of people chosen to make decisions.
   a group of people chosen to make decisions
2. Check the letters. The double letters in committee are m and t and e.
   committee
3. Write the answer.
   committee

Check. committee has the meaning given. ✓

Watch out. Say the word in syllables, then write each letter in order.

Method. Think about the meaning, then check the spelling letter by letter.

1. Think about the meaning. The meaning is: to make something seem bigger or better than it is.
   to make something seem bigger or better than it is
2. Check the letters. The double letter in exaggerate is g.
   exaggerate
3. Write the answer.
   exaggerate

Check. exaggerate has the meaning given. ✓

Watch out. Say the word in syllables, then write each letter in order.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
2. Test the choice. Government has the letters g, o, v, e, r, n, m, e, n, t.
   government fits
3. Reject the other choices. goverment has a letter in the wrong place or missing.
   goverment do not fit
4. Write the answer.
   government

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out. Check the letters one by one, and look for double letters.

Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.

1. Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
2. Test the choice. Embarrass has rr and ss.
   embarrass fits
3. Reject the other choices. embarass has a letter in the wrong place or missing.
   embarass do not fit
4. Write the answer.
   embarrass

Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓

Watch out. Check the letters one by one, and look for double letters.

Method. Use the meaning, then check the ending.

1. Use the meaning. A place where the dead are buried is a cemetery.
   cemetery
2. Check the ending. Cemetery ends in -ery.
   cemet-ery
3. Write the answer.
   cemetery

Check. cemetery ends in -ery. ✓

Method. Find the wrong word, and check its letters.

1. Find the word that is wrong. Disasterous has an extra e in the middle.
   disasterous
2. Write the correct word. Disastrous is spelt without the extra e.
   disastrous
3. Write the answer.
   The disastrous news was a shock to the community.

Check. disastrous has no extra e. ✓

Method. Say what it is, then give a word with one.

1. Say what it is. A silent letter is written but not said.
   written, not said
2. Give an example. Knight has a silent k at its start.
   knight
3. Write the answer.
   A silent letter is written in a word but not said, for example the k in knight.

Check. The example has a correct silent letter. ✓

Method. Look at the start of the word.

1. Look at the start. The word starts with wr.
   wr
2. Find the silent letter. The w is written, but it is not said.
   w
3. Write the answer.
   w

Check. The silent letter in wrong is w. ✓

Method. Use the meaning, then check the letters.

1. Use the meaning. From another country is foreign.
   foreign
2. Check the letters. Foreign has a silent g at its end.
   foreign
3. Write the answer.
   foreign

Check. foreign has the meaning given. ✓

Method. Use the meaning, then check the ending.

1. Use the meaning. Very bad, and causing great harm, is disastrous.
   disastrous
2. Check the ending. Disastrous ends in -ous.
   disaster-ous
3. Write the answer.
   disastrous

Check. disastrous has the meaning given. ✓

Method. Look for two of the same letter next to each other.

1. Look at the word. Accompany has cc at the start.
   a c c o m p a n y
2. Name the letter. The only doubled letter is c.
   c
3. Write the answer.
   c

Check. accompany has cc. ✓

Method. Find each word that is wrong, and check its letters.

1. Find the first mistake. Bargin is missing the a.
   bargin
2. Find the second mistake. Excellant has the ending -ant, but the word is excellent.
   excellant
3. Write the answer.
   The bargain at the market was excellent.

Check. bargain and excellent are both correct. ✓

Method. Use the meaning, then check the ending.

1. Use the meaning. A book that gives the meanings of words is a dictionary.
   dictionary
2. Check the ending. Dictionary ends in -ary.
   dictionar-y
3. Write the answer.
   dictionary

Check. dictionary ends in -ary. ✓

Method. Use the word to say that a place has room for people.

1. Choose the subject. The hotel is the subject.
   The hotel
2. Add the verb. Accommodate means to provide room for someone.
   can accommodate all forty pupils on the trip.
3. Write the answer.
   The hotel can accommodate all forty pupils on the trip.

Check. accommodate is spelt with cc and mm. ✓

Method. Count the double letters.

1. Count the doubles. Committee has three pairs of double letters.
   mm, tt, ee
2. Check each one. Each pair must be written in the right place.
   c o m m i t t e e
3. Write the answer.
   Committee has mm, tt and ee, so I check each double letter.

Check. committee has three doubled pairs. ✓

Method. Use the meaning, then check the ending.

1. Use the meaning. A place where the dead are buried is a cemetery.
   cemetery
2. Check the ending. Cemetery ends in -ery.
   cemet-ery
3. Write the answer.
   cemetery

Check. cemetery ends in -ery. ✓

Method. Look at the pattern and the silent letter.

1. Look at the pattern. Sign ends in gn.
   gn
2. Find the silent letter. The g is written, but it is not said.
   g
3. Write the answer.
   The g in sign is silent, because it is written but not said.

Check. The g in sign is silent. ✓