Year 6 - English
Spelling words with French etymology
Letter strings, etymology and curriculum words
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit, pupils review and learn a wide range of Year 6 spellings, including letter strings, words with the suffixes -ant, -ance, -ent, -ence, -able and -ible, silent letters, French and Greek origin words, curriculum words and words that use the hyphen in two ways.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to spell words with French-origin spellings 'ch', 'gue' and 'que'.
Key Notes
- The 'sh' sound in words of French origin is generally spelt 'ch'.
- The 'g' sound in words of French origin is generally spelt 'gue'.
- The 'k' sound in words of French origin is generally spelt 'que'.
- How to spell the curriculum words: muscle, foreign and restaurant.
Vocabulary To Learn
- etymology: the study of the origin of words and the ways their meanings have changed over time
- origin: the source or beginning of something like the place, time or history of a word or idea
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Pupils will be more familiar with 'g' and 'ck' at the end of words so may spell words incorrectly.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
The 'sh' sound in words of French origin is generally spelt 'ch'. The 'g' sound in words of French origin is generally spelt 'gue'.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'etymology'
the study of the origin of words and the ways their meanings have changed over time.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Pupils will be more familiar with 'g' and 'ck' at the end of words so may spell words incorrectly. Correction: The 'gue' and 'que' sounds nearly always appear at the end of words e.g. vague and antique. The 'g' and the 'k' sound with the more common spellings, can appear anywhere within a word e.g. eagle, kid and back.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Recognising the different sounds made by the letter strings 'ough' and 'au' Study Guide
- Recognising the different sounds made by the letter strings "ou", "ear" and "ice" Study Guide
- Spelling key curriculum words Study Guide
- Spelling words from the Y5/6 curriculum list Study Guide
- Spelling words with Greek and Latin etymology Study Guide
- Spelling words with the -able suffix Study Guide
- Spelling words with the -ible suffix Study Guide
- Spelling words with the 'ee' sound spelt 'ei' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the 'ee' sound spelt 'ie' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the silent letters 'b', 'k', 'g', 'w' and 't' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the silent letters 'h', 'p', 'n', 'l' and 's' Study Guide
- Spelling words with the suffixes -ant and -ance Study Guide
- Spelling words with the suffixes -ent and -ence Study Guide
- Using hyphens to create adjectives Study Guide
- Using hyphens to join prefixes to root words Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 6 English guide library.