Word study: exaggerate to frequently

1 · Learn

Practise a small number of words over several days. First explain the meaning, then inspect the spelling. Look for a familiar root, a changed ending or letters that are hard to hear. Cover the model, write from memory and check. Use the word in your own writing so it is more than a memorised list.

exaggerate: to describe something as greater than it really is. Exaggerate has double g but only one r. Read: 'Do not exaggerate the results to make the report sound exciting.'

excellent: extremely good. Excellent has x-c near the start and double l. Read: 'The reviewer explained why the model was an excellent example.'

existence: the state of being real or present. Existence ends ence, not ance; compare exist. Read: 'The old photograph showed the existence of an earlier bridge.'

explanation: an account making something clear. Compare explain and explanation: explanation has a, not ai, in the middle. Read: 'Her explanation connected the cause with the result.'

familiar: known because you have met or seen it before. Familiar begins fam, like family, and ends liar. Read: 'The familiar tune helped the audience join in.'

foreign: from another country. Foreign contains ei and a final g-n; the g is not usually heard. Read: 'The story's traveller visited a foreign country and learnt some local words.'

forty: the number four tens make. Forty has no u, even though four does. Read: 'Forty counters were arranged in four equal rows.'

frequently: often or many times. Keep frequent and add ly; remember qu near the start. Read: 'We frequently checked the measurements for consistency.'

2 · Worked example

To learn exaggerate, I connect its meaning, to describe something as greater than it really is, with this spelling detail: Exaggerate has double g but only one r. I write it from memory, compare it and identify exactly which letters need attention. I then use it in a new sentence and check whether the meaning fits.

3 · Your turn

Without looking, write the studied word meaning 'extremely good'. Check it against the model. Write your own sentence using excellent and explain the spelling feature you needed to remember.

4 · Apply your learning

Choose two words for a personal practice list. Ask a partner or adult to dictate one supplied sentence after you have discussed its meaning. Proofread the result, then try a new sentence of your own. Revisit the words after a delay and note whether you can use them accurately without the model.