How to spell height
A Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
height
H-E-I-G-H-T
The part to watch: h + eight, but it says "hite". The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Height has the same eigh as eight and weight, but here it says "eye". People often write "hight", or add an extra h at the end.
Height is one of the words on the Year 3 and 4 list with the letters ei, eigh or ie. The letters ei, eigh and ie can make several sounds. These words have to be learnt as a group, because the sound does not tell you which letters to use.
Common mistakes with height
- Wrong: hightRight: height
- Wrong: heighthRight: height
- Wrong: heigthRight: height
A way to remember it
Height is h + eight. Picture someone 8 feet tall.
Height in syllables
height
Height has one syllable, so learn it as a whole word.
In a sentence
We measured the height of the sunflower.
Height on the statutory list
Height is on the Year 3 and 4 statutory word list in the national curriculum for England. Children are taught these words in Years 3 and 4, when they are 7 to 9.
Test yourself
A short spelling test that starts with height, then nine more words from the Year 3 and 4 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with the letters ei, eigh or ie
These words from the Year 3 and 4 list share the same pattern as height.
More words
Questions parents ask
Why is height not spelt like high?
Height means how high something is, but the letters change: high has igh, while height has eigh, like eight.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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