How to spell women
A Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling word, with the tricky part explained and a tip that makes it stick.
The answer
women
W-O-M-E-N
The part to watch: more than one, ending -men, and the o says i. The underlined letters are the ones most people get wrong.
The tricky part
Women means more than one woman. It is said "wim-in", but it is spelt with an o and an e.
Women is one of the words on the Year 3 and 4 list with a vowel that makes a surprising sound. In these words a vowel, or a pair of vowels, makes a sound it does not usually make, such as the u in busy or the o in women.
Common mistakes with women
- Wrong: wominRight: women
A way to remember it
Many men, many women: women has "men" in it.
Women in syllables
wom · en
Women has 2 syllables. Say each one as you write it.
In a sentence
Two women were walking their dogs.
Women on the statutory list
Women is on the Year 3 and 4 statutory word list in the national curriculum for England, printed there as woman/women. Children are taught these words in Years 3 and 4, when they are 7 to 9.
From the same entry
Test yourself
A short spelling test that starts with women, then nine more words from the Year 3 and 4 list, read aloud. It works in your browser.
More words with a vowel that makes a surprising sound
These words from the Year 3 and 4 list share the same pattern as women.
More words
Questions parents ask
Is it women or womens?
Women is already plural, so it never takes an s. To show belonging, add an apostrophe and s: "the women's team".
Spelling is one part of the picture
The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.