US Grade 4 Spelling Guide

Greek and Latin roots are word parts that carry meaning (e.g. graph = write, port = carry, aud = hear, vis = see). Learning a single root like graph unlocks photograph, autograph, biography, and graphics all at once. That is why Grade 4 is when structured root study typically begins. For spelling, roots provide a logic behind word construction that makes it easier to predict and remember how unfamiliar words are spelled. Students who study roots in Grade 4 typically develop a noticeably faster vocabulary and spelling trajectory through the upper primary years.

Words like table, little, simple, giggle, and puzzle end in a consonant followed by -le. This is treated as a separate syllable type (consonant-le) because the e is silent and the syllable sounds like /l/ (ta-ble, lit-tle, sim-ple). Recognising this pattern helps students correctly syllabicate and spell a large group of 2-syllable words they encounter in reading. It also explains why the vowel in the first syllable is often long (ta-ble) or short (lit-tle), determined by whether the first syllable is open or closed.

Yes. Correctly using there, their, and they're in writing is specifically called out as a Grade 4 CCSS expectation. These homophones sound identical, so students can only distinguish them by understanding their meaning (there = place, their = possession, they're = they are). Regular reading and writing practice in context is the most effective approach; spelling rules alone won't help here. If your child is working on this in Grade 3 or even Grade 5, that is completely normal.

There is a strong connection from Grade 4 onward because the words in nonfiction texts increasingly come from Latin and Greek roots. Students who know that trans- means across, port means carry, and -able means capable of can decode transparent, transportable, and countless other words without having seen them before. This is why spelling at Grades 4–6 is really morphology study: it builds the word knowledge that supports reading comprehension across science, history, and maths texts.