8th Grade Spelling List
Although spelling words are stressed more heavily in the lower elementary grades, 8th grade students are still expected to be developing their spelling skills. Students should be familiar with about 15,000 words at this point.
A key component of the 8th grade spelling curriculum is making sure students know how to apply standard English conventions to determine the correct spelling of an unfamiliar word. For example, a student in 8th grade should understand that if a suffix starts with a vowel, such as –ing, and a root word ends in a single vowel and consonant, the final letter will be doubled. In this way, the 8th grade student is able to determine that stop becomes stopping and drop becomes dropping. Other concepts commonly incorporated into the 8th grade curriculum include:
- prefixes
- compound words
- irregular spellings
- correct use of the apostrophe
- -tion and -ion
- silent e words
- words with ch sounds
- spelling the sounds of wh and ch
- consonant digraphs with f and ph
Spelling Words for 8th Grade Students
Since 8th grade spelling lists can vary by school, the best way to help your child improve his/her spelling skills is to ask the language arts teacher for word recommendations. However, examples of spelling words that may be considered part of the 8th grade curriculum include:
- abbreviate
- absorbent
- accept
- access
- accessible
- accessory
- acoustics
- accumulate
- acknowledgment
- adjust
- aerial
- allotted
- already
- altercation
- amass
- amendment
- amorous
- ancestor
- anecdote
- angular
- antiseptic
- architect
- arrangement
- asphalt
- assignment
- asterisk
- attorneys
- audible
- aviator
- bachelor
- bankruptcy
- barbaric
- bask
- battery
- behavior
- benefited
- blanch
- brilliance
- budget
- bulletin
- business
- cachet
- callus
- cancellation
- canvas
- cashier
- catastrophe
- centripetal
- characteristic
- chaste
- cinnamon
- classic
- collateral
- colleague
- college
- comedy
- commerce
- commercial
- committee
- communicate
- commuter
- compel
- compensation
- competent
- consider
- contiguous
- council
- counsel
- country
- creator
- critique
- customary
- customer
- daybreak
- deceive
- defendant
- desolate
- detain
- devour
- diagnosis
- diffidence
- diminish
- disappeared
- disapproval
- disbursement
- discernible
- discrepancy
- disinterested
- disoblige
- dissociate
- distress
- diurnal
- divine
- domestic
- domesticate
- dominance
- easier
- ecstasy
- effect
- eject
- eligible
- eliminate
- encouragement
- encyclopedia
- epic
- equilibrium
- erroneous
- especially
- exceptional
- excessive
- existence
- exotic
- expression
- extremity
- feud
- flexible
- flout
- fluorescent
- folklore
- forcible
- fortunately
- franchise
- frivolous
- frostbitten
- further
- galaxy
- galling
- genuine
- gnawing
- gorgeous
- grotesque
- gymnasium
- handicapped
- handling
- handsome
- haphazard
- harness
- hazardous
- headquarters
- humidor
- idiosyncrasy
- impatience
- impinge
- incandescent
- inconsolable
- indelible
- inept
- influence
- innocence
- innumerable
- insistent
- insoluble
- integrity
- intensify
- interrogative
- irksome
- irresistible
- irrevocable
- issuing
- itemized
- jewelry
- judicious
- juror
- justifiable
- landslide
- legitimate
- leisure
- liaison
- library
- license
- lieutenant
- loophole
- lunar
- luncheon
- malicious
- markup
- mattress
- mesmerize
- meteor
- metric
- mischievous
- misgiving
- modern
- modicum
- mystery
- negligence
- neon
- neutral
- newsstand
- noticeable
- notoriety
- nuisance
- numerator
- nylon
- obesity
- oblique
- obstinate
- obsolete
- officious
- opposite
- optimism
- oregano
- overrate
- pageant
- parliament
- passable
- paucity
- penalty
- perseverance
- personality
- picnicking
- plaintiff
- poignancy
- poignant
- potential
- prospectus
- quest
- questionnaire
- quixotic
- radioactive
- rapacious
- rayon
- raze
- recently
- reconcile
- relevant
- relief
- repulse
- revive
- rhyme
- rhythm
- roommate
- roster
- sanctuary
- sandwich
- scarcely
- schedule
- schism
- scholar
- schooner
- sedition
- semester
- seminary
- session
- solitary
- subvert
- statutory
- terrific
- thieves
- tragedy
- transient
- transmutation
- turpitude
- tyranny
- unacceptable
- unique
- unmoved
- usher
- utopia
- vengeance
- vocal
- voucher
- withhold
- wrestle
- written
The Ed Helper Web site also has an interactive tutorial that you can use to create printable worksheets tailored to typical 8th grade spelling lists.
Practicing Spelling Words
Since 8th grade students are quickly approaching high school, they often view practicing spelling words as a bothersome chore. Therefore, helping your child to develop strong spelling skills may require a bit of creativity.
Encouraging your child to participate in a spelling bee may be a good tactic if he/she enjoys competitive activities. Some students also find it useful to write short stories using all of their spelling words. For more suggestions on fun ways to help your child practice his/her spelling words, check out the yourDictionary articles on Spelling Activities and Spelling Enrichment Lessons.