Languages and literacy
Spelling the shun sound
Practise words ending in the /shun/ sound by noticing the common -tion spelling, retrieving words from memory and looking for patterns. Pupils then use selected words in sentences and correct deliberately misspelt examples before review.
Read the material
Practise words ending in the /shun/ sound by noticing the common -tion spelling, retrieving words from memory and looking for patterns. Pupils then use selected words in sentences and correct deliberately misspelt examples before review.
Activity. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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NAME CLASS DATE LEARNING GOAL I can spell words that end with the shun sound using -tion. SUCCESS CRITERIA I can split a -tion word and find its tricky part. I can write each word from memory and check it. I can use -tion words in my own sentences. Meet the rule THE RULE When you hear shun at the end of a word, it is usually spelt t i o n . No s, no h: the letters ti make the sh sound. WORD DISSECTION ac| tion A Syllables ac + tion = 2 claps B Root + suffix act + ion = action C Tricky part tion says shun Look, say, cover, write, check 7 words Look Say Cover Write Check and tick Slide a card over the word and your earlier tries before each go. LOOK AND SAY TRY 1 TRY 2 TRY 3 action station fiction motion nation fraction solution Pattern hunt 10 words Look just before -tion. Mark: circle -ation underline -ction box -otion leave others action station fiction motion nation section fraction mention potion solution Most common ending: Two words that fit none: and Spelling practice grid · Suffix -tion ENGLISH SPELLING AGES 7 TO 11 SUFFIX -TION Spelling the shun sound Take -tion words apart, practise them, then hunt for patterns. 1 2 3 Page 1 of 2
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Use it in a sentence 4 marks Write one sentence for each word. Start with a capital letter and end with a full stop. station We waited at the ... fraction A half is a ... potion The wizard made a ... solution Our solution was ... Spot the mistake 4 marks Each sentence has one word spelt wrongly. Circle it, then write it correctly. a The train was late, so we waited at the stashun for an hour. b My favourite ficsion book is about a dragon who loves maths. c We found the solushion to the puzzle at the very last minute. d The whole nashon cheered when the team won the cup. GO FURTHER: BUILD LONGER WORDS re + action = sub + traction = nation + al = pro + motion = Find a -tion word with four syllables: How do I feel about spelling -tion words? Not yet Getting there Got it Spelling practice grid · 8 marks plus practice SPELLING THE SHUN SOUND USE IT AND CHECK IT Put your -tion words to work 4 5 MEMORY TRICK Invent one for your hardest word. Example: the t in -tion is top secret: it hides the sh sound. Page 2 of 2
A teaching sequence
Recognise the -tion ending, break a word into parts, spell target words from memory and use them in a sentence.
Practise seven words from memory
Use Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check for the seven listed words. Hide the target before each try and compare the attempt with the correct spelling.
Which spelling needs correction after you reveal the target?
Mark the printed ending groups
In the pattern hunt, mark the ending groups shown in the instructions and find any words that do not fit those three patterns.
Which words fall outside the three named pattern groups?
Use four target words in sentences
Write one sentence for each of the four target words using the sentence starters as needed.
Does the chosen word fit the sentence's meaning?
Correct, build and choose a memory cue
Find the misspelt word in each sentence and write the standard spelling beside it. Then complete the word-building prompts by adding the parts shown, then invent a memory trick for a spelling that needs more practice.
How does the corrected or built word compare with the taught spelling?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Ask pupils to explain which letters represent the ending sound and to check a word against the target spelling after recalling it. Look for a complete sentence with a capital and full stop, and a correction that preserves the meaning.
Give a little support
Practise one word together, say it slowly and highlight the final letters. Offer fewer words at a time, a syllable clap or a trace-over before recall. Let pupils say a sentence first and record it with support.
Take the idea further
Ask pupils to find a new word ending in -tion and identify its root or syllables. They can compare -ation, -ction and -otion examples and explain what helped them remember the spelling.
Things to keep in mind
The sheet says -tion is the usual spelling for this final sound, not a rule for every word. Check word examples and morphological explanations against the class spelling programme. The word list may not cover every pronunciation or exception pupils encounter.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas to try with your class
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Wendy Trebilcock
I support a Year 5 class and look for practical ways to run small-group work when the whole group shares one room.
Meet the creator
Samuel Ogilvie
Reading for pleasure matters to me, and I would rather help a child finish a book they selected than fill every reading moment with a worksheet.
Meet the creator
Steady Marker
This two-page spelling grid teaches the -tion ending as the usual spelling for the “shun” sound at a word ending. Pupils split words into syllables and root plus suffix, write target words from memory, check them and use them in sentences.
Little Lightbulbs
The action sequence “look, say, cover, write, check” makes retrieval and self-checking explicit. The word dissection shows “action” as act plus ion, drawing attention to the suffix rather than only its sound.
Pocketful of Stories
Say the word, clap its syllables and cover the model before writing. Compare the result with the printed form and mark the suffix so the learner can identify what to practise.
Paperclip Perspective
The sheet presents -tion as a usual pattern, not a rule for every word ending in that sound. Keep the target list aligned with taught vocabulary and check each spelling rather than overgeneralising.