How to spell history
A Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
history
H-I-S-T-O-R-Y
The part to watch: his + tory, with an o you hardly hear. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Quick speech swallows the middle o, so people write "histry". The end is -ory.
History is one of the words on the Year 3 and 4 list with a letter you hardly hear. When we speak quickly, a letter or a whole beat gets swallowed. Say the word slowly, the way it is spelt, so every letter has a sound.
Common mistakes with history
- Wrong: histryRight: history
- Wrong: histeryRight: history
A way to remember it
History is full of stories, and history has "story" inside it: hi-story.
History in syllables
his · to · ry
History has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it. Often said "hiss-tree". The o in the middle is there even though it is hard to hear.
In a sentence
In history we learnt about the Romans.
History on the statutory list
History 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 history, then nine more words from the Year 3 and 4 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a letter you hardly hear
These words from the Year 3 and 4 list share the same pattern as history.
More words
Questions parents ask
What is the plural of history?
Histories. The y changes to i before -es. Historian and historical keep the o that is hard to hear in history.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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