3rd Grade Spelling Words

Each list on this page covers one pattern or word part. Words were chosen by frequency, length and syllable count for this grade, and prefix and suffix words were checked in code, so that every word is a real base word plus the added part. Pronunciation is checked as well, which is why uncle is not an un word. Where a list is based on a fixed set, such as contractions and irregular plurals, we show what each word means or what it replaces.

Every page lets you play hangman with the list, see a difficulty score for each word, and print a worksheet with an answer key. Longer words are often easier in hangman than short ones, so a mix works well in a mixed-ability group.

A common third grade sequence starts with prefixes. Our pages are Words With the Prefix Un, Words With the Prefix Re and Words With the Prefix Dis. The meanings (not, again, not or opposite) give students something to reason with. Follow them with suffixes: Words Ending in Ful and Less, Words Ending in Ly and Words Ending in Ness. Students see that suffixes often change a word's class, so a noun like care becomes the adjective careful, and an adjective like kind becomes the noun kindness.

Next come patterns inside words. Double Consonant Words and Words Ending in Le go together, since both rely on the short vowel rule and syllable division. Silent Letter Words (kn, wr, mb) have to be memorized, but the groups help.

The last block is for words that need separate attention: Homophones, Contractions and Irregular Plurals. These are best spread across the year in small doses, not taught all at once. Order varies by classroom and curriculum, so treat this as a suggested path.

Choose one list per week and keep the routine the same. On Monday, give a pretest of ten words and let students mark their own, then circle the misses. Tuesday, students divide each missed word into parts, a prefix, base and suffix, or syllables, and write a sentence for it. Wednesday, they practice by cover, write and check.

Thursday is for a hangman round, played as a class or in pairs, with the printable as a record. Because third grade words are longer, you can ask players to say the base word or the prefix aloud before guessing. Friday is the test: use the same ten words and add two new ones with the same pattern to see if students can transfer it. Homophones and contractions are best tested in sentences.