Year 2 spelling words
Year 2 spelling words combine spelling patterns and common exception words for children aged 6–7 in England. Schools choose their teaching sequence; start with your child's current words, or practise ten of the 64 exception examples below free.
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Ten common exception examples; no hints or corrections until the final score and missed words.
Ten words, read aloud. No name, sign-up or payment needed.
Published and updated .
Spelling patterns to notice together
These examples come from DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling, under Year 2. They illustrate teaching points rather than a weekly homework schedule. Read the words aloud before looking closely at the letters; a familiar spoken word gives the spelling a meaning.
| Spelling focus | DfE examples | How to use them |
|---|---|---|
| The sound /dʒ/ at word endings | badge, edge, bridge; age, huge | Use -dge after a short vowel; other endings can use -ge. |
| Silent initial letters | knock, knee, write, wrong | Notice kn- and wr- while saying the word naturally. |
| The ending -le | table, apple, little | Listen for the final syllable and notice its letters. |
| Changing final y | flies, tries; copied, happier | After a consonant, y changes to i before these endings. |
| Doubling before a suffix | patting, patted; dropping, dropped | A one-syllable word ending in one consonant after one vowel letter doubles that consonant. |
| The ending -tion | station, fiction, motion | Say the word, then look at the shared written ending. |
| Homophones | there, their, they’re; here, hear | Choose the spelling by the meaning in a sentence. |
For doubling, compare pat → patting with help → helping: help ends in two consonant letters. Keep examples close to the pattern being taught. With homophones, say a whole sentence: “I can hear a bird here.” The sentence helps children choose each spelling.
64 common exception examples: printable checklist
Teaching common exception words is statutory; the named appendix examples are non-statutory, allowing “and/or others, according to the programme used”. This checklist keeps every example in its original order and case. Pronunciation and the phonics already taught affect which part feels unusual.
Use your browser's Print command or Save as PDF. Pick a few words, cover the target, try them on paper and check together. Mark a revisit after a gap. For smaller groups and more explanation, use the Year 2 common exception words guide.
| Word | Attempt | Revisit |
|---|---|---|
| door | ||
| floor | ||
| poor | ||
| because | ||
| find | ||
| kind | ||
| mind | ||
| behind | ||
| child | ||
| children | ||
| wild | ||
| climb | ||
| most | ||
| only | ||
| both | ||
| old | ||
| cold | ||
| gold | ||
| hold | ||
| told | ||
| every | ||
| everybody | ||
| even | ||
| great | ||
| break | ||
| steak | ||
| pretty | ||
| beautiful | ||
| after | ||
| fast | ||
| last | ||
| past | ||
| father | ||
| class | ||
| grass | ||
| pass | ||
| plant | ||
| path | ||
| bath | ||
| hour | ||
| move | ||
| prove | ||
| improve | ||
| sure | ||
| sugar | ||
| eye | ||
| could | ||
| should | ||
| would | ||
| who | ||
| whole | ||
| any | ||
| many | ||
| clothes | ||
| busy | ||
| people | ||
| water | ||
| again | ||
| half | ||
| money | ||
| Mr | ||
| Mrs | ||
| parents | ||
| Christmas |
Make a small practice routine
Ask your child to explain the word in a sentence. Find the part they can already spell, then notice the part that needs attention. For could, should, would, compare the shared written ending. For child and children, say both naturally and notice that the vowel sound changes.
Try look, say, cover, write, check once, then return to the word another day. A correct answer immediately after copying is a useful first step; a later attempt shows what your child remembers. Praise a specific observation, such as spotting the silent letter, and keep the next set manageable.
For the earlier learning, see Years 1–2 spelling words. The tricky words guide explains phonics terminology, and spelling words by age helps families compare school systems.
Want your child's own school words, hints and saved progress? Family Pass is £9 for 12 months for up to five children, with no automatic renewal.
Year 2 spelling questions
What spelling words should a Year 2 child learn?
Year 2 children in England, usually aged 6–7, learn spelling patterns, common exception words, suffixes and homophones. Follow the school's sequence. The DfE appendix gives 64 named common exception examples, alongside example words for the patterns.
Are the 64 Year 2 examples a compulsory word list?
Teaching common exception words is statutory. The named DfE examples are non-statutory: the appendix allows these and/or others according to the programme used. The checklist preserves all 64 examples in their original order and case.
Does the practice button include the pattern examples?
The free button draws ten words from the 64 common exception examples printed here. It does not select from the pattern table. No name, sign-up or payment is needed; another round gives a fresh selection.
How do we print the Year 2 checklist?
Use your browser's Print command, or choose Save as PDF. This page's print layout keeps the 64-word checklist with Attempt and Revisit spaces. Pagination depends on your browser and paper settings.
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A child can practise ten built-in words without entering their name, making an account or paying. Family Pass is the optional complete home product.
Basic practice
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- Ten-word curriculum practice
- Hear each word in a sentence
- Clear correction and another try
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- Up to five child profiles
- Buddies, hints and private progress
- Parent-entered home lists, SATs papers and cross-device sync
- Paper spelling tests and family duels
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