How to spell sacrifice
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
sacrifice
S-A-C-R-I-F-I-C-E
The part to watch: sac + ri + fice. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
The vowel after sacr is i, though it sounds like "uh". The end is -fice, with a c that says s.
Sacrifice is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 list with a soft c. The letter c says s when it comes before e, i or y, as in centre, circle and bicycle. Before a, o, u or another consonant it says k.
Common mistakes with sacrifice
- Wrong: sacraficeRight: sacrifice
- Wrong: sacrifiseRight: sacrifice
A way to remember it
Sacrifice ends like office: f, i, c, e.
Sacrifice in syllables
sac · ri · fice
Sacrifice has 3 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
The knight made a sacrifice to save his friends.
Sacrifice on the statutory list
Sacrifice 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 sacrifice, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a soft c
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as sacrifice.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell sacrificial?
Drop the e of sacrifice before -ial: sacrificial.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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