4th Grade Spelling Words: 11 Lists by Pattern (2026)

Last updated: September 2026 · Written by the Spelly team

Short answer: A 4th grader should be able to spell words built from parts: prefixes like pre-, dis- and mis-, endings like -tion and -sion, and suffixes added with the three big rules (double the consonant in running, drop the e in making, change y to i in cried). Add to that longer multisyllable words, common homophones such as weather and whether, and irregular plurals like children and mice. The 11 lists below cover each of those, 10 words each, easiest first.

Every school uses its own list, and children move at different speeds, so treat this as a guide to what 4th grade spelling usually looks like rather than a test your child has to pass. If your child brings home a list from school, that list comes first. For the full picture across grades, see our spelling words by grade overview.

What children learn at this level

By 4th grade (ages 9 to 10 for most children), spelling shifts from sounding words out to building them from meaningful parts. Here is what the published guidance says:

Spelling grade-level words correctly. The Common Core State Standards for 4th grade ask children to "spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed" (Language standard L.4.2d). Checking a dictionary is part of the skill, not cheating.
Word parts and syllables. The 4th grade foundational skills standard (RF.4.3a) asks children to use letter sounds, "syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes)" to read unfamiliar multisyllabic words. Reading and spelling longer words lean on the same knowledge.
Frequently confused words. Standard L.4.1g asks 4th graders to "correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to, too, two; there, their)". Those are homophones: words that sound the same but are spelled differently.
Suffix rules. Reading Rockets describes this stage of spelling development as "syllables and affixes": children learn what happens where two syllables join, the spelling of common suffixes like -tion and -sion, and the rules for adding a suffix: double the final consonant after a short vowel, drop the silent e, and change y to i.

Those are the patterns the lists below are built on. Levels vary by school, by state and by child: a strong 3rd grade speller may be ready for these now, and plenty of 5th graders are still working on them. Once these feel easy, the 5th grade spelling words move on to harder patterns.

11 lists of 4th grade spelling words

Each list practices one pattern. They run from easiest to hardest, so most children can start at the top and stop where the words stop being easy.

1. Doubling the consonant before -ing and -ed

A short word that ends in one short vowel and one consonant doubles that consonant before -ing or -ed. The double letter keeps the vowel short: hopping (hop), not hoping (hope).

Doubling before -ing and -ed: running, swimming, stopped, hopping, planned, shopping, dropped, clapped, skipped, grabbed Practice these words in Spelly ▶

2. Dropping the silent e

When a word ends in a silent e, drop the e before adding -ing or -ed. Say each word next to its base word: make, making.

Dropping the silent e: making, hoping, taking, smiling, riding, writing, baked, saved, raced, shared Practice these words in Spelly ▶

3. Changing y to i

When a word ends in a consonant followed by y, change the y to i before adding -ed, -er, -est or -es: cry, cried; baby, babies. The one exception children meet early is -ing, which keeps the y: crying.

Changing y to i: cried, tried, carried, happier, funnier, easier, babies, ponies, cities, stories Practice these words in Spelly ▶

4. Irregular plurals

These plurals do not just add -s. Some change the vowel inside the word, and some change f to v before -es. They have to be learned word by word.

Irregular plurals: children, mice, teeth, feet, geese, women, knives, leaves, wolves, halves Practice these words in Spelly ▶

5. Prefix pre- (before)

A prefix never changes the spelling of the word it joins. Pre- means before: to preheat is to heat before.

Prefix pre-: preview, preheat, preschool, prepay, pretest, prefix, preset, precut, prewash, preorder Practice these words in Spelly ▶

6. Prefix dis- (not, opposite of)

Add dis- to the whole word. That is why disappear has one s (dis + appear) but dissatisfied, a harder word for later, has two.

Prefix dis-: dislike, disagree, disappear, disobey, discover, dishonest, disconnect, displease, disorder, distrust Practice these words in Spelly ▶

7. Prefix mis- (wrongly)

The same rule gives misspell its double s: mis + spell.

Prefix mis-: mistake, misspell, misplace, misread, mislead, misbehave, misprint, misjudge, misuse, misunderstand Practice these words in Spelly ▶

8. Homophones

Five pairs of words that sound the same and are spelled differently. Because they sound identical, the spelling depends on the meaning, so when you test these at home, say each word in a sentence: "a piece of cake", "peace and quiet".

Homophones: weather, whether, piece, peace, break, brake, flour, flower, knew, new No practice link for this list: homophones sound the same, so say each one in a sentence and have your child write it.

9. Words ending in -tion

The ending sounds like "shun" and is usually spelled -tion. It usually turns a verb into a noun: add, addition; invent, invention.

Words ending in -tion: action, nation, station, motion, fraction, section, question, direction, addition, invention Practice these words in Spelly ▶

10. Words ending in -sion

The harder cousin of -tion. A useful clue: if the base word ends in d, de or ss, the ending is often -sion: decide, decision; explode, explosion; discuss, discussion.

Words ending in -sion: vision, mission, television, division, decision, explosion, confusion, permission, expression, discussion Practice these words in Spelly ▶

11. Longer multisyllable words

Everyday words of three syllables or more. Clap the syllables, spell one syllable at a time, then write the whole word from memory. Watch the quiet middle sounds: library, calendar, favorite.

Longer multisyllable words: important, remember, together, yesterday, understand, adventure, library, calendar, favorite, different Practice these words in Spelly ▶

How to practice a list in a week

A spelling list sticks best with a little practice most days rather than one long session the night before the test:

Day one: look and sort. Read the list together and talk about the pattern. Can your child find the base word inside each one?
Short daily sessions. A few minutes a day is plenty. Stop while it is still going well.
Test from memory. Say the word, your child writes it without looking at the list, then checks it. Copying the list out again feels productive but asks much less of memory.
Missed words again. Keep a small pile of the words your child got wrong and start the next session with those.
A practice test before the real one. The day before, do the whole list once as a test, the same way the teacher will.

For more on what helps at home, see how to help your child with spelling.

Practicing these lists in Spelly

Every list on this page has a "Practice these words in Spelly" link that opens it as a short spelling test: each word is read aloud in a natural voice and your child types it, with typed answers checked letter by letter and Spelly's own keyboard keeping autocorrect from spelling the word for them. It is free, and no account is needed. If your child's school sends its own list, you can type it in or photograph the worksheet in the app and practice that instead. Try Spelly free.

Frequently asked questions

How many spelling words should a 4th grader learn each week? There is no official number. Schools set their own weekly lists, and they vary a lot in length. If a list feels too long for your child, ask the teacher; practicing a shorter list well beats rushing a long one.

What are the hardest spelling patterns in 4th grade? The suffix rules cause the most trouble: knowing when to double a consonant (hopping), when to drop an e (hoping) and when to change y to i (cried). The ending -sion is also harder than -tion, because the two sound almost the same.

Are homophones part of 4th grade spelling? Yes. The Common Core Language standards for 4th grade ask children to correctly use frequently confused words such as to, too and two, and there and their. When you practice homophones, always give the word in a sentence so your child knows which spelling you mean.

What if my 4th grader is still spelling at a 3rd grade level? That is common, and spelling levels vary a lot between children of the same age. Start with the 3rd grade patterns and move up when those are solid. If spelling stays hard despite regular practice, talk to your child's teacher.

Should my child learn sight words in 4th grade? Most children know the common sight words by now, but some still trip over a few. If words like because or thought still come out wrong, a quick review of the sight word lists is worth doing alongside the patterns on this page.

How we made these lists

The patterns come from the Common Core State Standards for 4th grade (Language L.4.1g and L.4.2d, Foundational Skills RF.4.3a) and from Reading Rockets' guidance on spelling development and suffix rules. The words themselves are ours: we wrote each list to fit one pattern and checked every word. They are not copied from any school's curriculum, and your child's school may teach these patterns in a different order.

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Last updated: September 2026.