1st grade spelling words

14 free lists and 510 words, grouped by spelling pattern. Hear every word, print a practice sheet, or take a test online.

Double f, l, s, z after a short vowel words After a short vowel, f, l, s and z are doubled at the end hill, puff, mess, buzz… 33 words -ck words After a short vowel, /k/ at the end is spelled ck duck, back, sock, kick… 34 words Digraphs sh, ch, th, wh Two letters, one sound ship, fish, shop, dish… 34 words -ng and -nk words ng and nk stick together at the end ring, song, bank, pink… 36 words Blends at the start Two consonants, both sounds heard frog, stop, flag, drum… 36 words Blends at the end Listen for both sounds at the end nest, hand, jump, milk… 38 words Plurals -s and -es Add -es after s, x, z, sh and ch cats, dogs, boxes, dishes… 38 words a_e words Silent e makes the vowel say its name cake, game, lake, name… 37 words i_e words Silent e makes the vowel say its name bike, kite, time, five… 38 words o_e, u_e, e_e words Silent e makes the vowel say its name home, rope, bone, note… 37 words Compound words and closed syllables Split the word, spell each part sunset, rabbit, picnic, napkin… 39 words Open syllables and y as a vowel A vowel at the end of a syllable says its name; y can say /ee/ or /i/ baby, open, music, happy… 36 words -tch and -dge words After a short vowel, use tch and dge watch, catch, bridge, badge… 36 words Consonant-le words -le makes its own last syllable table, apple, little, paddle… 38 words

What spelling words should a 1st grade student know?

First grade moves from short words to blends and digraphs (sh, ch, th), endings like -ck and -ng, plurals, and silent e, where a final e makes the vowel say its name.

These lists follow the order US structured-literacy programs teach spelling, so each one builds on the last. Schools differ, so use your child's own class list first if they bring one home.

Practicing at home

  • Practice one pattern at a time, so the rule stays in view.
  • Say the word, have your child spell it from memory, then check it together.
  • Keep it short and often. A few words a day is easier to keep up than one long session.
  • Come back to the words they missed a few days later.

FOR GROWN-UPS

Sheets built around your child's tricky words

A list like these is the same for every child. With Hero Membership, Wordstone prints practice sheets from the sounds and words your child finds hard, and a certificate for each spelling unit they master.

  • Practice sheets from your child's own trickiest sounds
  • A certificate for every unit they master
  • Detailed reports and a weekly email
  • One price for the family, up to 4 children
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A sample practice sheet for a hero named BraveOtter42, with the letters ai and ou blanked out of words and sentences to fill in.
Sample practice sheet
A sample certificate of mastery for BraveOtter42, for the spelling of ai and ay.
Sample certificate