• 210 words

Spelling Words for 4th Grade, Built From Prefixes and Suffixes

A spelling list for fourth graders by word part: pick a list, press Start test and type what you hear.

Edit this list or use your own words

The 10 words of this list. Add or change any. For your own list, press Clear first.

For a sentence, put it after a colon: rain: The rain fell all day. Up to 40 words.

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List 1: prefix un

Words to learn. Read each word, cover it, write it, then check it.

  1. 1.unableI was unable to reach the top shelf.
  2. 2.unfairIt is unfair to skip the line.
  3. 3.unkindTeasing someone is unkind.
  4. 4.unlockUse this key to unlock the door.
  5. 5.unsafeThe old bridge is unsafe to cross.
  6. 6.unevenThe path was rocky and uneven.
  7. 7.unknownThe author of the poem is unknown.
  8. 8.unusualIt is unusual for her to be late.
  9. 9.uncoverDig here to uncover the buried box.
  10. 10.unhappyHe was unhappy about the rainy day.

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Each word is read aloud, then used in a sentence. Type what you hear. The marks come at the end.

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Accents do not count: café may be typed as cafe, and the marks show how it is written.

Only voices built into this device are used, so the words are not sent to a speech service to be read. With no voice, a person reads the words from the last page of the test sheet.

Review test from several lists
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The words are mixed from the lists you tick, so a review test needs a read-aloud voice.

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All 210 words

List 1: prefix un 10

  • unable I was unable to reach the top shelf.
  • uncover Dig here to uncover the buried box.
  • uneven The path was rocky and uneven.
  • unfair It is unfair to skip the line.
  • unhappy He was unhappy about the rainy day.
  • unkind Teasing someone is unkind.
  • unknown The author of the poem is unknown.
  • unlock Use this key to unlock the door.
  • unsafe The old bridge is unsafe to cross.
  • unusual It is unusual for her to be late.

List 2: prefix re 10

  • reappear The sun will reappear after the storm.
  • rearrange We will rearrange the desks into groups.
  • rebuild They will rebuild the barn after the storm.
  • recall I cannot recall where I left my keys.
  • recycle We recycle cans, paper and glass.
  • refill May I refill my water bottle?
  • replace Please replace the cap on the glue.
  • return Please return the book by Friday.
  • review We will review the chapter before the test.
  • rewrite I had to rewrite my messy paragraph.

List 3: prefix dis 10

  • disagree My brother and I disagree about the rules.
  • disappear The magician made the coin disappear.
  • disappoint I do not want to disappoint my team.
  • disconnect Disconnect the hose before it freezes.
  • discover Divers hope to discover a sunken ship.
  • dishonest Cheating on a test is dishonest.
  • dislike I dislike the taste of burnt toast.
  • disobey The puppy did not mean to disobey.
  • disorder The room was in complete disorder.
  • distrust The cat seems to distrust strangers.

List 4: prefix mis 10

  • misbehave The puppies misbehave when they are bored.
  • misjudge It is easy to misjudge a long jump.
  • mislead A blurry map can mislead a hiker.
  • mismatch One blue sock and one red is a mismatch.
  • misplace I often misplace my library card.
  • misread I misread the sign and turned left.
  • misspell Slow down so you do not misspell a word.
  • mistake I made a mistake on the first problem.
  • mistreat Never mistreat an animal.
  • misuse Do not misuse the art supplies.

List 5: prefix pre 10

  • precaution Wear a helmet as a precaution.
  • prefix A prefix comes at the start of a word.
  • preheat Preheat the oven before you mix the batter.
  • prehistoric Dinosaurs were prehistoric animals.
  • prejudge Do not prejudge a book by its cover.
  • prepaid The tickets were prepaid online.
  • prepare We prepare for the play every afternoon.
  • preschool My little sister goes to preschool.
  • pretest The pretest showed what we already knew.
  • preview We watched a preview of the new movie.

List 6: prefixes im and in 10

  • impatient I get impatient in a long line.
  • imperfect The handmade bowl was imperfect but lovely.
  • impolite It is impolite to talk with your mouth full.
  • impossible The last puzzle seemed impossible at first.
  • improper Seven fourths is an improper fraction.
  • inactive The volcano has been inactive for years.
  • incomplete The puzzle is incomplete without the last piece.
  • incorrect Two of my answers were incorrect.
  • independent She is independent and packs her own lunch.
  • informal A note to a friend can be informal.

List 7: prefixes over and under 10

  • overcome She worked hard to overcome her fear.
  • overdue My library book is two days overdue.
  • overflow The tub will overflow if you leave it.
  • overlook Do not overlook the small details.
  • overnight We stayed overnight at the campground.
  • underground Moles dig tunnels underground.
  • underline Underline the title of the book.
  • underneath The ball rolled underneath the couch.
  • understand I understand the directions now.
  • underwater I can hold my breath underwater.

List 8: prefixes sub, mid and semi 10

  • midday The sun is high at midday.
  • midnight The clock struck twelve at midnight.
  • midsummer The days are long in midsummer.
  • midway We stopped midway up the hill to rest.
  • semicircle We sat in a semicircle around the teacher.
  • semifinal Our team won the semifinal game.
  • submarine A submarine travels below the waves.
  • subtitle The subtitle explains what the book is about.
  • suburb They live in a quiet suburb.
  • subway We rode the subway across the city.

List 9: number prefixes uni, bi and tri 10

  • bicycle I ride my bicycle to the park.
  • bilingual A bilingual person speaks two languages.
  • binoculars We watched the birds through binoculars.
  • triangle A triangle has three sides.
  • tricycle A tricycle has three wheels.
  • tripod A tripod stands on three legs.
  • unicorn A unicorn has a single horn.
  • unicycle A unicycle has only one wheel.
  • unite The two teams will unite for the parade.
  • universe Our planet is a tiny part of the universe.

List 10: suffix ful 10

  • cheerful She greeted us with a cheerful wave.
  • colorful The parrot has colorful feathers.
  • grateful I am grateful for your help.
  • painful A bee sting can be painful.
  • peaceful The lake was calm and peaceful.
  • powerful A powerful wind knocked down the fence.
  • thankful I am thankful for my warm coat.
  • thoughtful Your card was a thoughtful gift.
  • truthful Be truthful even when it is hard.
  • wonderful We had a wonderful day at the lake.

List 11: suffix less 10

  • breathless The race left me breathless.
  • countless There are countless grains of sand on a beach.
  • endless The desert road seemed endless.
  • fearless The fearless kitten climbed the tall tree.
  • harmless The little garter snake was harmless.
  • helpless A newborn kitten is helpless.
  • priceless The museum holds a priceless painting.
  • restless I felt restless after the long car ride.
  • spotless We scrubbed the kitchen until it was spotless.
  • useless A flashlight is useless without batteries.

List 12: suffix ly 10

  • carefully Carry the eggs carefully.
  • completely I completely forgot my lunch.
  • exactly The bus came at exactly eight.
  • friendly The new neighbors are friendly.
  • lonely The puppy was lonely without its mother.
  • quickly Walk quickly but do not run.
  • quietly Please close the door quietly.
  • really I really like this book.
  • slowly The snail moved slowly across the leaf.
  • suddenly Suddenly the lights went out.

List 13: suffix ness 10

  • brightness Turn down the brightness of the screen.
  • darkness The owl hunts in the darkness.
  • emptiness The emptiness of the desert amazed us.
  • fairness A good referee cares about fairness.
  • forgiveness She asked for forgiveness and got a hug.
  • goodness Thank goodness the rain has stopped.
  • illness She missed school because of an illness.
  • kindness Thank you for your kindness.
  • sadness I felt sadness when the trip ended.
  • weakness Spelling used to be my weakness.

List 14: suffix ment 10

  • agreement We reached an agreement about the chores.
  • amusement We rode the rides at the amusement park.
  • apartment Their apartment is on the third floor.
  • enjoyment Reading gives me a lot of enjoyment.
  • measurement Write each measurement in inches.
  • movement I saw a movement in the tall grass.
  • payment The payment is due on Monday.
  • punishment Extra chores were his punishment.
  • statement A statement ends with a period.
  • treatment The vet gave the dog a treatment for fleas.

List 15: suffix tion 10

  • action The movie was full of action.
  • addition We check subtraction with addition.
  • attention Please pay attention to the directions.
  • collection I have a collection of smooth rocks.
  • direction The wind changed direction.
  • fraction One half is a fraction.
  • invention The wheel is a very old invention.
  • location Mark the location on the map.
  • question Raise your hand to ask a question.
  • station The train pulled into the station.

List 16: suffix ous 10

  • adventurous The adventurous hikers took the steep trail.
  • dangerous It is dangerous to swim during a storm.
  • fabulous The fireworks were fabulous.
  • famous The famous painting hangs in a museum.
  • humorous He told a humorous story about his cat.
  • marvelous We had a marvelous view from the top.
  • mountainous The road winds through mountainous country.
  • nervous I was nervous before the spelling bee.
  • numerous There were numerous ducks on the pond.
  • poisonous Some wild mushrooms are poisonous.

List 17: ture and sure endings 10

  • creature A tiny creature scurried under the log.
  • furniture We moved the furniture to sweep the floor.
  • future In the future I want to be a pilot.
  • measure Measure the board before you cut it.
  • mixture Pour the mixture into the pan.
  • moisture The moisture in the air fogged the glass.
  • nature We took a nature walk in the woods.
  • picture She drew a picture of her dog.
  • pleasure It is a pleasure to meet you.
  • treasure The map led to buried treasure.

List 18: er and or for people 10

  • actor The actor forgot his lines.
  • builder The builder measured the wall twice.
  • doctor The doctor checked my ears.
  • farmer The farmer planted rows of corn.
  • inventor The inventor tested her new machine.
  • painter The painter climbed the ladder.
  • sailor The sailor tied a strong knot.
  • teacher Our teacher reads to us after lunch.
  • visitor A visitor signed in at the office.
  • writer The writer signed copies of her book.

List 19: suffix en 10

  • broken The window was broken in the storm.
  • chosen I was chosen to lead the line.
  • frighten Loud thunder can frighten a dog.
  • frozen The pond was frozen solid.
  • golden The field turned golden in the fall.
  • hidden The key was hidden under a rock.
  • spoken Spanish is spoken in many countries.
  • stolen The stolen bike was found in the park.
  • wooden We sat on a wooden bench.
  • written The note was written in pencil.

List 20: suffixes hood and ship 10

  • adulthood Adulthood comes after the teenage years.
  • championship Our team won the championship game.
  • childhood Grandpa told stories about his childhood.
  • friendship Our friendship began in first grade.
  • hardship The long winter was a hardship for the settlers.
  • leadership She showed leadership during the fire drill.
  • likelihood There is a strong likelihood of rain today.
  • membership My library membership is free.
  • neighborhood Our neighborhood has a small park.
  • ownership Take ownership of your mistakes.

List 21: sound-alike pairs 10

  • groan I heard him groan at the bad joke.
  • grown The puppy has grown a lot this year.
  • steal It is wrong to steal.
  • steel The bridge is made of steel.
  • throne The queen sat on her throne.
  • thrown The ball was thrown over the fence.
  • waist The belt goes around your waist.
  • waste Turn off the tap and do not waste water.
  • weather The weather is sunny and warm today.
  • whether I wonder whether it will rain.

How it works

These spelling words for 4th grade are 210 words in 21 lists, sorted by word part: 9 lists of prefixes, 11 of suffixes and 1 of sound-alike pairs. A student who can spell appear can build disappear and reappear.

Read the full guide

What each 4th grade spelling words list teaches

Lists 1 to 9 put a prefix in front, from un, re, dis and mis to the number prefixes uni, bi and tri. Lists 10 to 20 add a suffix: ful, less, ly, ness, ment, tion, ous, ture and sure, er and or, en, hood and ship. List 21 holds five sound-alike pairs such as waist and waste.

Spelling words for grade 4: misspell has two s's

When a prefix joins a word, neither loses a letter: mis plus spell is misspell, dis plus appear is disappear with one s, and un plus known keeps its silent k. Suffixes are rougher: fame and nerve lose their e in famous and nervous; likely and empty trade y for i in likelihood and emptiness.

  • Thankful ends in one l, though full has two. In List 12, carefully has two because ly joins careful whole.
  • Er and or sound alike in teacher and doctor. Learn List 18's or words together: actor, doctor, sailor, visitor, inventor.
  • In British spelling three grade 4 spelling words gain a letter: colourful, marvellous, neighbourhood. Swap them under Edit this list.

Questions and answers

Is there a spelling test for 4th grade that covers several lists?

Yes. Open Review test from several lists, tick some lists and press Start review test. It draws 10 words at random, so ticking Lists 1 to 9 gives a prefix review that differs each time. It has no printed sheet, so it needs a voice.

Which list of spelling words for 4th graders comes first?

List 1, unless your program says otherwise: grade and order are only our suggestion. Lists 1 to 4 add un, re, dis and mis to short known words, as in unlock, refill, dislike and misuse. Swap in your own words under Edit this list.

Is there a puzzle for this fourth grade spelling list?

Two. Make a word search, above the sheet, builds a puzzle from the ten words of the open list. For a finished puzzle at this level, print the 4th grade word search.

What if a student types waste for waist?

It is marked wrong. The results show each missed word beside what was typed, and say that waste sounds the same. Retry the missed words tests only those. In the test, type each word and press Enter, or tap Next word.

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