How to spell explanation
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
explanation
E-X-P-L-A-N-A-T-I-O-N
The part to watch: explain drops its i. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Explanation is related to explain, but it has no i after the a. Many people write "explaination".
Explanation 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 explanation
- Wrong: explainationRight: explanation
- Wrong: explantionRight: explanation
A way to remember it
Explain loses its i when it becomes explanation, just like exclaim and exclamation.
Explanation in syllables
ex · pla · na · tion
Explanation has 4 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
The teacher gave a clear explanation of the rules.
Explanation on the statutory list
Explanation 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 explanation, 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 explanation.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell explanatory?
Explanatory, like explanation, has no i after the a: e-x-p-l-a-n-a-t-o-r-y.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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