Spelling polysyllabic words with unstressed vowels | English

Starter quiz

What is a syllable?
- the base word from which other words are often formed
- a single sound or beat in a word that contains a vowel sound ✓
- a letter or group of letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning
What does polysllabic mean?
- describes a word that has more than one syllable ✓
- describes a loud sound
- describes a word with repeated letters
Match the word to the correct spelling of its ending.
- factory
  
  ⇔
  
  -ory ✓
- primary
  
  ⇔
  
  -ary ✓
- scenery
  
  ⇔
  
  -ery ✓
Match these words to their root word.
- prime
  
  ⇔
  
  primary ✓
- marvel
  
  ⇔
  
  marvellous ✓
- refer
  
  ⇔
  
  reference ✓
- pot
  
  ⇔
  
  potter ✓
Select all the words with the root word 'interest'.
- interested ✓
- disinterested ✓
- terrestial
- rested
- interestingly ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. My sister goes to secundree school.
- 'secondary' ✓

Which vowel letter is unstressed in the word 'library'?
- i
- a ✓
- y
- r
Which vowel letter is unstressed in the word 'voluntary'?
- o
- u
- a ✓
- y
- r
Select the correct spelling of the word.
- intrest
- intirest
- interest ✓
- intressed
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. He was feeling mizrable.
- 'miserable' ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. She was a jenrous friend.
- 'generous' ✓
Correct the spelling of the word in bold in the sentence. Are you definit about this?
- 'definite' ✓

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In polysyllabic words, some vowels can be unstressed and hard to hear and spell.
Saying the word how it is spelt can help to learn the spelling.
Thinking of the root word and identifying prefixes and suffixes can help to learn the spelling.
How to spell the curriculum words: variety, various, imagine and definite.

Children may use the wrong vowel letter when spelling words with unstressed vowels.

Stretching the word and saying it slowly, how it is spelt, can help pupils to remember the correct spelling.

Polysyllabic - describes a word that has more than one syllable
Vowel letters - the letters ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, ‘u’ (and sometimes ‘y’) that represent vowel sounds
Unstressed - an unstressed sound is not emphasised or pronounced with much force