How to spell vegetable
A Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
vegetable
V-E-G-E-T-A-B-L-E
The part to watch: veg + e + table. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Quick speech drops the e after veg, giving "vegtable". The end is table.
Vegetable is one of the words on the Year 5 and 6 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 vegetable
- Wrong: vegtableRight: vegetable
- Wrong: vegatableRight: vegetable
A way to remember it
Put the vegetables on the table: veg + e + table.
Vegetable in syllables
veg · e · ta · ble
Vegetable has 4 syllables. Say each one as you write it. Often said "vej-tuh-bul". Saying all four beats keeps the e after the g.
In a sentence
A carrot is my favourite vegetable.
Vegetable on the statutory list
Vegetable 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 vegetable, then nine more words from the Year 5 and 6 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a letter you hardly hear
These words from the Year 5 and 6 list share the same pattern as vegetable.
More words
Questions parents ask
How do you spell vegetarian?
Vegetarian keeps the e after veg: v-e-g-e-t-a-r-i-a-n.
Spelling is one part of the picture
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