How to spell familiar
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
familiar
F-A-M-I-L-I-A-R
The part to watch: from family (fam-il-iar). The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Familiar is related to family, so the first vowel is a. It ends -iar, like liar.
Familiar 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.
Common mistakes with familiar
- Wrong: familarRight: familiar
- Wrong: famillarRight: familiar
A way to remember it
Your family is familiar to you: famil + iar.
Familiar in syllables
fa · mil · iar
Familiar has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
The street looked familiar, but I could not remember why.
Familiar on the statutory list
Familiar 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 familiar, 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 familiar.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell familiarity and unfamiliar?
Familiarity is familiar + ity. Unfamiliar is un + familiar. Both keep the -iar.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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