Vocabulary Assessment · Grades 3–5
Spelling Patterns and Strategies Assessment
A printable assessment for grades 3-5 on recurring English spelling patterns: i before e, the words students most often misspell, and the ck / k / tch / ch ending patterns. Twenty-four items with a complete answer key.
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What this assessment checks
Spelling patterns are rules with a payoff: each one covers dozens of words at once. Three of the highest-value ones are assessed here:
- i before e, except after c, and when it says long a
- The eight words most often misspelled in upper elementary
- ck, k, tch and ch endings, chosen by the vowel that comes before
How to use it
Use it as a diagnostic before a spelling unit rather than a test after one. Section B is deliberately built from real misspellings, so it doubles as a list of what to teach next.
Reading the results
Section A rewards the rule rather than the words — a student who knows “i before e except after c, or when it says long a as in neighbor and weigh” should score well without recognising a single word. Section B items are shown misspelled on purpose; a student who copies the error back has not yet built a visual memory for the word. Section C tests one rule twice: ck follows a short vowel, k follows a long vowel or a consonant, and the same split governs tch and ch.
| Resource type | Assessment (printable PDF) |
| Grade range | Grades 3–5 |
| Items | 24 across 3 sections |
| Answer key | Included on the final page |
| Time | About 25 minutes |
| Access | Full Member |