How to spell desperate
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
desperate
D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E
The part to watch: des + per + ate. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Quick speech says "desp-rate", hiding the e. In Latin, where the middle part comes from, the e was sounded.
Desperate is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with a smaller word behind it. Each of these words is built from, or related to, a smaller word you may already know. Find the smaller word and most of the spelling follows.
This one is different. Desperate is not built from a smaller English word; its middle part comes from the Latin sper, meaning hope.
Common mistakes with desperate
- Wrong: desparateRight: desperate
- Wrong: desprateRight: desperate
A way to remember it
Desperate means without hope, and "sper" means hope: de-SPER-ate.
Desperate in syllables
des · per · ate
Desperate has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it. Often said "desp-rate". The middle e is there even when you do not hear it.
In a sentence
The desperate climbers waited for the storm to pass.
Desperate on the statutory list
Desperate 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 desperate, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a smaller word behind it
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as desperate.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell desperately?
Desperately is desperate + ly, keeping the e. Desperation drops the e before -ion.
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