2nd Grade Spelling Words
In 2nd grade, children typically work on vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow, igh), r-controlled vowels and adding -ed and -ing. Below are 43 words commonly taught at this level, grouped by the pattern each one practices - so your child learns the rule, not just the list.
There is no single national spelling list in the United States. Schools follow their state's standards and their own reading program, so your child's weekly list may differ. These are words commonly taught at this grade, grouped by the spelling pattern they practice.
2nd Grade words by spelling pattern
Vowel teams
Two letters working together to make one long vowel sound.
- rain
- train
- play
- day
- green
- sleep
- read
- team
- boat
- road
- snow
- grow
- night
- light
R-controlled vowels
The r changes the vowel sound: ar, or, er, ir, ur.
- car
- star
- fork
- storm
- her
- bird
- girl
- turn
- hurt
Adding -ed and -ing
Short vowel? Double the last letter first: hop → hopping.
- jumped
- played
- asked
- running
- hopping
- sitting
- making
- riding
Tricky words
High-frequency words worth learning by heart.
- because
- could
- would
- should
- again
- many
- any
- every
- friend
- people
- busy
- does
How to practice 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 rain, 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.
Every word here uses American spelling (color, favorite, organize), and Spelling.Live reads words aloud in an American voice when your child is set to US English.
Practice your child's own 2nd Grade 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 🇺🇸 US English and 2nd grade 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 grade when you sign up.
Your school's own list, in US English. Free to start, no card needed.
Start practicing freeMore US spelling lists: Kindergarten · 1st grade · 3rd grade · 4th grade · 5th grade · Dolch sight words · Fry sight words Spelling.Live for US families and schools →
Common questions
What spelling words should a 2nd grade child know?
There's no single official list. In 2nd grade (ages 7–8), children typically work on vowel teams (ai, ay, ee, ea, oa, ow, igh), r-controlled vowels and adding -ed and -ing. The words on this page are common examples; your child's school list comes from state standards and reading programs.
How many spelling words a week in 2nd grade?
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 practice my child's own 2nd grade list?
Yes. Spelling.Live lets you type in or photograph the list your child's school sends home, in US English, and turns it into daily practice with handwriting checked.
Are these 2nd grade 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 US English, open Browse Spelling Lists and add one in a tap, with no typing needed.