How to spell busy
A Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
busy
B-U-S-Y
The part to watch: u says i, and it ends with y. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
You say "bizzy", but the i sound is spelt u and there is only one s. The word ends with y.
Busy 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 busy
- Wrong: bizzyRight: busy
- Wrong: buisyRight: busy
A way to remember it
A bus is busy: busy starts with the word "bus".
Busy in syllables
bus · y
Busy has 2 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
The shop is always busy on Saturdays.
Busy on the statutory list
Busy is on the Year 3 and 4 statutory word list in the national curriculum for England, printed there as busy/business. Children are taught these words in Years 3 and 4, when they are 7 to 9.
From the same entry
Test yourself
A short spelling test that starts with busy, 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 busy.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell busier and busily?
The y of busy changes to i before these endings: busier, busiest, busily. The same change makes business.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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