NAPLAN Spelling: Common Patterns and How to Practise

Spelling in NAPLAN is tested within the Conventions of Language test, often by asking students to find and correct misspelt words. It rewards pattern knowledge more than memorising long lists.

Patterns worth learning

• Common letter patterns — "-tion", "-ough", "ai/ay", "ie/ei".
• Prefixes and suffixes — how adding them changes a word.
• Homophones — their/there/they're, to/too/two.
• Doubling rules — running, hopped, stopping.

A daily routine

Five focused minutes a day beats a weekly cram. Group words by pattern, use the "look–say–cover–write–check" method, and revisit words your child gets wrong rather than ones already mastered.

For the wider test, see our language conventions guide.