Foundation Spelling Words
In Foundation, children typically work on hearing every sound in a short word and writing a letter for each. Below are 36 words commonly taught at this level, grouped by the pattern each one practises - so your child learns the rule, not just the list.
The Australian Curriculum sets out the spelling knowledge expected at each year level but does not publish a single word list, and schools choose their own. These are words commonly taught at this year level, grouped by the spelling pattern they practise.
Foundation words by spelling pattern
Short-vowel CVC words
Consonant-vowel-consonant words where every letter makes its sound.
- cat
- hat
- man
- bed
- red
- net
- pig
- sit
- big
- dog
- top
- hop
- sun
- cup
- run
- bus
First sight words
Very common words children learn to read and write by sight.
- the
- a
- I
- to
- is
- it
- in
- and
- my
- go
- we
- me
- he
- she
- no
- up
- see
- can
- like
- you
How to practise at home
- Little and often. Five to ten minutes a day works better than one long session before the test.
- Teach the pattern. If your child can spell cat, show them the other words in its group.
- Write, don't only type. Spelling tests are written by hand, so some practice should be too.
- Bring missed words back. Revisit words they got wrong a few days later, not just the next day.
Australian spelling follows British forms (colour, favourite, organise), and Spelling.Live reads words aloud in an Australian voice when your child is set to Australian English.
Practise your child's own Foundation list on Spelling.Live
Type in, or photograph, the list your child's school sends home and Spelling.Live turns it into short daily practice: choosing, typing, saying and writing each word, with handwriting checked and missed words brought back until they stick. It names the spelling pattern behind each mistake, so you can see what to work on.
When you add your child, choose 🇦🇺 Australian English and Foundation as their school year.
No list from school yet? Every list on this page is ready-made in the app: open Browse Spelling Lists and add one in a tap, or let Spelling.Live choose the list for their year level when you sign up.
Your school's own list, in Australian English. Free to start, no card needed.
Start practising freeMore Australia spelling lists: Year 1 · Year 2 · Year 3 · Year 4 · Year 5 Spelling.Live for Australia families and schools →
Common questions
What spelling words should a Foundation child know?
There's no single official list. In Foundation (ages 5–6), children typically work on hearing every sound in a short word and writing a letter for each. The words on this page are common examples; your child's school list comes from the Australian Curriculum and their own spelling programs.
How many spelling words a week in Foundation?
Most schools send home between 5 and 15 words a week. A few minutes of practice each day, with missed words revisited later in the week, works better than learning them all the night before.
Can I practise my child's own Foundation list?
Yes. Spelling.Live lets you type in or photograph the list your child's school sends home, in Australian English, and turns it into daily practice with handwriting checked.
Are these Foundation spelling lists ready-made in the app?
Yes. Every list on this page is a ready-made list in Spelling.Live. Set your child to Australian English, open Browse Spelling Lists and add one in a tap, with no typing needed.