How to spell rhyme
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
rhyme
R-H-Y-M-E
The part to watch: a silent h, and y says "eye". The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Rhyme starts rh, with a silent h, then a y that says "eye". Long ago its spelling was changed to look like rhythm.
Rhyme is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with y doing the job of a vowel. In these words the letter y does the job of a vowel. Usually it says the short i of gym, and sometimes the "eye" of my.
Here the y says "eye", as in my.
Common mistakes with rhyme
- Wrong: ryhmeRight: rhyme
- Wrong: rymeRight: rhyme
- Wrong: rhimeRight: rhyme
A way to remember it
Rhyme and rhythm both start r, h, y.
Rhyme in syllables
rhyme
Rhyme has one syllable, so learn it as a whole word.
In a sentence
Cat and hat rhyme with each other.
Rhyme on the statutory list
Rhyme 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 rhyme, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with y doing the job of a vowel
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as rhyme.
More words
Questions parents ask
What is the difference between rhyme and rime?
They sound the same. Rhyme is about words that end with the same sound. Rime is another word for frost.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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