2nd grade spelling words

8 weekly lists of 2nd grade spelling words, each built around one spelling pattern, plus a list of tricky words. Pick a list below to print it as a worksheet or a spelling test, or edit the words first.

Activity

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Preview

2nd grade spelling: Long a (ai, ay)

Name ____________________   Date __________

Trace each word, then write it two more times.

1.rain  ____________  ____________
2.train  ____________  ____________
3.paint  ____________  ____________
4.wait  ____________  ____________
5.tail  ____________  ____________
6.day  ____________  ____________
7.play  ____________  ____________
8.stay  ____________  ____________
9.away  ____________  ____________
10.gray  ____________  ____________

All 2nd grade spelling lists

ListPatternWords
1Long a (ai, ay)rain, train, paint, wait, tail, day, play, stay, away, gray
2Long e (ee, ea)tree, feet, green, sleep, week, eat, read, team, clean, dream
3Long o (oa, ow)boat, coat, road, soap, toast, snow, grow, show, slow, yellow
4Long i (igh, y)night, light, right, high, bright, fly, cry, sky, try, why
5R-controlled ar, orcar, star, park, farm, start, corn, fork, horse, short, storm
6R-controlled er, ir, urher, never, under, girl, bird, first, shirt, turn, hurt, nurse
7Vowel teams oo, ou, owmoon, food, spoon, book, look, out, house, mouth, cow, brown
8Endings -ing, -edjumping, playing, helping, running, sitting, jumped, played, helped, stopped, hopped
—Tricky wordsbecause, could, would, should, friend, again, people, were, there, where

How to use the lists

Teach one pattern a week. On Monday, read the words together and sort them by sound; midweek, use the missing-letters or unscramble worksheet; on Friday, give the spelling test. Add two or three tricky words each week, since they have to be memorized rather than sounded out.

Other grades: 1st grade spelling words, 3rd grade spelling words, 4th grade spelling words, 5th grade spelling words. Have your own list? Use the spelling worksheet maker.

Questions

What spelling words should a 2nd grader know?

By the end of second grade, most children practice the patterns on this page (long a (ai, ay), long e (ee, ea), long o (oa, ow) and more) plus common words that break the rules, like because, could, would, should. Your school's curriculum may order them differently.

How many words should a weekly list have?

Ten to fifteen words is typical, usually one pattern plus a few tricky words. Each list here has ten.

Can I print a spelling test?

Yes. Pick a list, choose Spelling test and print. You get a numbered answer sheet and a separate page with the words to read aloud.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes, free and unlimited with no sign-up. They're made in your browser.