Spelling words for 5th grade: 16 weekly lists
Free 5th grade spelling lists, one spelling pattern a week with the rule in plain words. Open any week in the spelling maker for a practice sheet, a test and games, or print all 16 lists.
Week 1Root port
The Latin root port means carry.
- transport
- import
- export
- portable
- report
- support
- airport
- passport
- porter
- portfolio
- important
- deport
Week 2Root tract
The Latin root tract means pull or drag.
- tractor
- attract
- subtract
- contract
- distract
- extract
- traction
- attraction
- retract
- abstract
- protractor
- distraction
Week 3Root spect
The Latin root spect means look.
- inspect
- respect
- spectator
- prospect
- suspect
- inspector
- spectacle
- perspective
- inspection
- respectful
- spectacular
- retrospect
Week 4Root rupt
The Latin root rupt means break.
- erupt
- interrupt
- disrupt
- abrupt
- rupture
- eruption
- disruption
- interruption
- abruptly
- disruptive
Week 5Root dict
The Latin root dict means say or speak.
- predict
- dictionary
- dictate
- contradict
- verdict
- diction
- prediction
- predictable
- edict
- dictation
Week 6Root graph
The Greek root graph means write or draw.
- autograph
- paragraph
- photograph
- biography
- geography
- graphic
- telegraph
- autobiography
- calligraphy
- graphite
- choreograph
- photography
Week 7Roots tele and phon
The Greek root tele means far, and phon means sound.
- telephone
- telescope
- television
- microphone
- symphony
- headphones
- saxophone
- phonics
- telegram
- megaphone
- earphone
- xylophone
Week 8Roots scope and micro
The Greek root scope means look at, and micro means very small.
- microscope
- telescope
- periscope
- microwave
- microphone
- microbe
- stethoscope
- kaleidoscope
- microchip
- micrometer
- microscopic
Week 9Root struct
The Latin root struct means build.
- structure
- construct
- instruct
- destruction
- construction
- instruction
- instructor
- obstruct
- restructure
- structural
- constructive
- infrastructure
Week 10Roots aud and vis
The Latin root aud means hear, and vis means see.
- audio
- audience
- audible
- audition
- auditorium
- visible
- vision
- visit
- visual
- invisible
- revise
- supervise
Week 11Suffixes ance and ence
The endings ance and ence sound alike, so learn which one each word uses.
- distance
- balance
- entrance
- importance
- allowance
- performance
- difference
- silence
- science
- patience
- evidence
- sentence
Week 12Suffixes ant and ent
The endings ant and ent sound alike, and a word with ance usually has ant.
- elegant
- important
- pleasant
- distant
- assistant
- servant
- different
- excellent
- patient
- student
- absent
- present
Week 13Doubling in longer words
When the last syllable is stressed and ends in one vowel and one consonant, double the consonant before ed or ing.
- beginning
- forgetting
- admitted
- committed
- occurred
- preferred
- controlled
- permitted
- regretted
- referred
- submitted
- equipped
Week 14Prefixes in, im, il and ir
The prefixes in, im, il and ir all can mean not.
- incorrect
- invisible
- impossible
- impatient
- imperfect
- irregular
- irresponsible
- illegal
- illogical
- inactive
- immature
- irrational
Week 15Homophones, set four
Homophones sound the same, so use the meaning to pick the spelling.
- principal
- principle
- stationary
- stationery
- capital
- capitol
- aloud
- allowed
- cereal
- serial
- complement
- compliment
Week 16Words often misspelled
Some words do not follow the rules, so find the tricky part and mark it.
- necessary
- separate
- definitely
- environment
- restaurant
- rhythm
- schedule
- tomorrow
- vacuum
- weird
- calendar
- recommend
How the lists are built
- Each week teaches one pattern, in the order the phonics steps and the grade's spelling usually come: short vowels and blends in 1st grade, vowel teams and endings in 2nd, prefixes and suffixes in 3rd, Latin and Greek roots in 5th and 6th.
- Every word on a pattern list has that pattern; a check runs on each one before the page is published. Heart words are the few common words that do not follow it.
- The spelling maker opens with the week's words typed in, and makes a look-say-cover-write-check sheet, a test with a teacher's copy, a scramble, and bingo, word search and flashcards from the same list. The list rides in the address after the #, so it never reaches our server.