How to spell breath
A Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
breath
B-R-E-A-T-H
The part to watch: ea says a short e, and there is no e at the end. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Breath is the noun: the air you take in. The ea says a short e, as in "bread". It has no e on the end; that belongs to breathe, the verb.
Breath is one of the words on the Year 3 and 4 list with a vowel that makes a surprising sound. In these words a vowel, or a pair of vowels, makes a sound it does not usually make, such as the u in busy or the o in women.
Common mistakes with breath
- Wrong: brethRight: breath
A way to remember it
You take a breath with the same "ea" as bread. No e at the end: a breath is short.
Breath in syllables
breath
Breath has one syllable, so learn it as a whole word.
In a sentence
Take a deep breath before you dive in.
Breath on the statutory list
Breath is on the Year 3 and 4 statutory word list in the national curriculum for England. Children are taught these words in Years 3 and 4, when they are 7 to 9.
Test yourself
A short spelling test that starts with breath, then nine more words from the Year 3 and 4 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a vowel that makes a surprising sound
These words from the Year 3 and 4 list share the same pattern as breath.
More words
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between breath and breathe?
Breath, with no e, is a noun: "Take a deep breath." Breathe, with an e, is the verb, the thing you do: "Breathe in slowly." Breath rhymes with death; breathe rhymes with seethe.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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