3rd Grade Spelling Words
In 3rd grade, children typically work on prefixes and suffixes, the -le ending, plurals and the most common homophones. Below are 41 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.
3rd Grade words by spelling pattern
Prefixes and suffixes
Word parts added to a base word: un-, re-, -ful, -ly, -ness.
- unhappy
- redo
- helpful
- careful
- useful
- happily
- quickly
- kindness
- sadness
The -le ending
Many words end in a consonant plus -le.
- table
- little
- apple
- middle
- puzzle
- bottle
- simple
- circle
Plurals
-s, -es, and y changing to i: baby → babies.
- boxes
- wishes
- benches
- babies
- cities
- leaves
- knives
- children
Homophones
Words that sound the same but are spelled differently.
- their
- there
- they're
- to
- too
- two
- hear
- here
- where
- wear
-dge and -ge
The /j/ sound at the end of a word.
- bridge
- badge
- edge
- large
- change
- huge
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 unhappy, 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 3rd 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 3rd 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 · 2nd 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 3rd grade child know?
There's no single official list. In 3rd grade (ages 8–9), children typically work on prefixes and suffixes, the -le ending, plurals and the most common homophones. 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 3rd 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 3rd 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 3rd 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.