Spelling Patterns: All 1,164 Year 6 Words

Year 6 SATs spelling lists: all 1,164 words in the Tiger Shark Education spelling bank, in 40 spelling patterns, each with a dictation sentence. Free PDF.

Every spelling-pattern sheet in one 72-page A4 PDF, with a bookmark for each pattern: a-e, ai, ay; au, aw, augh, air; ar Words; ee, ea, e-e, ere; ei, eigh, ey; ear Words; er Words; i-e, ie, igh, ir; o-e, oa, oe, or, ore; ou Words; ow, oi, oy; ough Words; u-e, ue, ui, ur, ew; y Words; Soft c Words; sc Words; ch Words; Soft g Words; ph, th, que, gue; -tion, -ation; -sion, -ssion, -cian; -cious, -tious, -cial, -tial; -ture, -sure, -ssure; -le, -el, -al Endings; Double s (ss) Words; Double l (ll) Words; Double f (ff) Words; Double r (rr) Words; Double t (tt) Words; Double m and Double n; Double pp, dd, cc, gg, zz, bb; -ly, -ally, -ily Words; -ant, -ance, -ent, -ence; -able and -ible Words; -ous, -ious, -eous; Endings and Apostrophes; Prefixes (dis, mis, re); Silent Letters by Grapheme; Homophones Word Bank; Tricky Words to Learn. Each numbered word is followed by a sentence using it in context, with the word in bold, and numbering restarts under each heading.

What is a spelling pattern? A spelling pattern, or grapheme, is a group of letters that represents a sound or a part of a word, such as ai, ough, -tion or a double consonant. English often has several ways to spell the same sound, and the same letters can make different sounds, which is why children need to learn patterns rather than relying on sounding out alone. Grouping words by the way they are written lets pupils see a rule working across many words, notice the exceptions and apply the pattern to words they have never seen before.

Why this bundle? It brings together every word in the spelling bank, sorted by pattern, so you have a complete Year 6 spelling resource in one place. It covers the vowel and consonant graphemes, the endings most often tested at KS2 (-tion, -sion, -cious, -ture, -able, -ous and more), double letters, adverb endings, prefixes, silent letters, homophones and the tricky words from the Years 5 and 6 statutory list.

In the KS2 SATs, the spelling paper has 20 words read aloud in sentences, and they are drawn from the patterns and word lists in the National Curriculum for Years 3 to 6. Accurate spelling also counts in teacher assessment of writing at the end of Year 6, so secure patterns pay off in every piece of writing, not just the test.

Planning a year of spelling with it: work through one or two patterns a week in the autumn and spring terms, picking 10 to 20 words for each weekly test. Use the dictation sentences for regular practice, and revisit earlier patterns every few weeks so they stick. In the run-up to the SATs, mix words from different patterns