How to spell curiosity
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
curiosity
C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-Y
The part to watch: curious drops its u (curi-os-ity). The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Curiosity is related to curious, but it has no u after the o. Almost everyone writes "curiousity".
Curiosity is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with a suffix to watch. A suffix is an ending such as -ment, -tion or -ed. Sometimes the root word changes when you add it: a letter is dropped, doubled or swapped.
Common mistakes with curiosity
- Wrong: curiousityRight: curiosity
- Wrong: curiostyRight: curiosity
A way to remember it
Curious loses its u when it grows into curiosity: curi + osity.
Curiosity in syllables
cu · ri · os · i · ty
Curiosity has 5 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
Curiosity made me open the mysterious box.
Curiosity on the statutory list
Curiosity 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 curiosity, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a suffix to watch
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as curiosity.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell curious and curiously?
Curious ends -ous, and curiously keeps it. Only curiosity loses the u.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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