How to use it

1. Type your spelling words, one per line, or load a starter list for kindergarten, first grade, second grade, or word families. Change any word.
2. Tick the sheets you want: the test sheet, the word list for home, trace and copy, missing letters, unscramble, and a word search.
3. For a blank test, leave the list empty and set the number of lines. Add a bonus line if your class has one.
4. Type the week or list name so it prints on every sheet.
5. Print on US Letter or A4. Reshuffle the puzzles for a second version for a different group.

Why teachers and parents use it

• One word list, six sheets. Type the words once on Monday and print the whole week’s spelling sheets.
• The test sheet has one numbered line per word, handwriting guides and a score box. It also works with no words at all.
• The word list for home has four tick boxes, one for each night, and a line for a parent to sign.
• The puzzles use your words, so they match what’s being tested. The reshuffle button gives you a second version.
• Your list stays in your browser for next week. Nothing is uploaded.

What each sheet is for

The test sheet is for Friday. Numbered lines, a handwriting guide on each one for the younger grades, a score box at the bottom. The word list goes home on Monday, with four tick boxes, one for each night, and a signature line that means someone saw it. Trace and copy comes first for practice: dotted letters to trace, then two lines to write the word alone. Missing letters takes out one letter, usually a vowel, because that’s the letter a young speller gets wrong. Use unscramble later in the week, once the word looks familiar. The word search is the Thursday sheet. It makes the child look at every letter of every word one more time.

Kindergarten spelling words

Kindergarten spelling is mostly sight words and short vowel words. The starter list here mixes both: the, and, see, can, we, go, at, then cat, dog, sun, big, red, run, hat, mom, dad, up, in, it, is. Sight words are learned by looking, because they don’t follow the rules yet, so trace and copy and the word list do most of the work. Short vowel words are learned by sounding out, so missing letters and unscramble suit them. Keep a kindergarten list to ten words or fewer. Test five if that’s what the class can manage. A test a child can pass teaches more than one they can’t.

First and second grade lists

The first grade starter list moves to longer sight words and words with blends and digraphs: like, come, have, said, ship, chip, jump, play, make, ride. Second grade adds words children write every day and spell wrong every day: because, friend, about, again, always, could, their, there, where, would, people, school. Both lists are starting points. Most schools follow their own program, so type your words. Use the starters for a catch-up group or a week when the program list is thin.

Ideas for spelling homework

Rainbow writing: write each word three times in three colors. Silly sentences: use three of the words in one sentence. For sorting, choose a rule: number of letters, first letter or vowel sound. Air writing: spell the word out loud while writing it in the air with a finger. And the oldest one, look, say, cover, write, check, which is what the trace and copy sheet is built for.

FAQ

Is the spelling test generator free?

Yes. All six sheets are free to make and print, with no signup and no account.

Can I print a blank spelling test template?

Yes. Leave the word list empty, choose ten, fifteen, twenty or twenty-five lines, and print. Add a bonus word line if you use one.

What worksheets can I make from my spelling words?

A numbered test sheet, a word list for home with tick boxes, a trace and copy sheet, a missing letters sheet, an unscramble sheet, and a word search. All six use the same word list.

How many words can I use?

Up to 25 words of up to 14 letters. The test sheet gives one line per word. Practice sheets spread across pages when the list is long.

Are there spelling lists for kindergarten and first grade?

Yes. Starter lists for kindergarten, first grade, second grade and word families load with one click. Change any word to match your program.

Will my word list still be there next week?

Yes, on the same computer and browser. The list saves itself as you type. It is not uploaded anywhere.