How to spell average
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
average
A-V-E-R-A-G-E
The part to watch: aver + age, with an e you hardly hear. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Quick speech says "av-ridge", which swallows the e. The word ends with age, as in "how old".
Average is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with a letter you hardly hear. When we speak quickly, a letter or a whole beat gets swallowed. Say the word slowly, the way it is spelt, so every letter has a sound.
Common mistakes with average
- Wrong: avarageRight: average
- Wrong: averegeRight: average
A way to remember it
Average has "age" at the end: av + er + age. The average age in our class is 10.
Average in syllables
av · er · age
Average has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
The average temperature in London in July is about 19 degrees.
Average on the statutory list
Average is on the Year 5 and 6 statutory word list in the national curriculum for England. Children are taught these words in Years 5 and 6, when they are 9 to 11.
Test yourself
A short spelling test that starts with average, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a letter you hardly hear
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as average.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell averaging?
Drop the e of average before -ing or -ed: averaging, averaged.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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