How to spell relevant
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
relevant
R-E-L-E-V-A-N-T
The part to watch: rel + e + vant, ending -ant. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Relevant ends -ant, not -ent. People also swap the l and v and write "revelant".
Relevant is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with an -ant, -ance, -ent or -ence ending. The endings -ant and -ent sound almost the same, and so do -ance and -ence. The only reliable way is to learn which one each word takes.
Common mistakes with relevant
- Wrong: releventRight: relevant
- Wrong: revelantRight: relevant
A way to remember it
Relevant has "elev" in it, as in eleven: r + elev + ant.
Relevant in syllables
rel · e · vant
Relevant has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
Only include facts that are relevant to the question.
Relevant on the statutory list
Relevant 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 relevant, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with an -ant, -ance, -ent or -ence ending
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as relevant.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell relevance?
The -ant of relevant changes to -ance: relevance. Irrelevant is ir + relevant, with a double r.
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