Spelling

The Contest Summary

The spelling contest is designed to give students in grades 3, 4, and 5 exposure to a wide variety of vocabulary words. It is not a contest of memorization. For the most educational value, preparation for this contest should include instruction in the rules of the English language, meanings and definitions, and root words. In addition to learning to spell proficiently, contestants will learn to write clearly and to capitalize words properly. 

The Contest Format

Students will write down words given by the pronouncer on their paper at a rate of approximately five words per minute.

(A) Grades 3 and 4: 50 words; tiebreaker, 15 words.
(B) Grades 5 and 6: 80 words; tiebreaker, 20 words.
(C) Grades 7 and 8: 110 words; tiebreaker, 30 words.
The tiebreaker is given to all contestants immediately following the initial test.

Tests will be fully compatible with the Merriam Webster's Intermediate Dictionary 2004 and subsequent editions.

Scoring

From the total number of word entries, deduct one point for each incorrectly spelled word.

(A)  Word Order. Any word omitted by the contestant is a miss. If all contestants omit the same word, the pronouncer is presumed to have failed to have given the word, so the omission by contestants is not considered a miss.

(B)  Punctuation and Capitalization. The misuse of an apostrophe or hyphen, or a mistake in capitalization is considered a miss. Contractions and possessive forms may be written with all letters connected or written separately.

(C)  Misspelled Words on List. Any word misspelled on the spelling list is not to be considered in grading the tests unless a correction has been sent to UIL meet directors.

Study Materials

In the link below, you'll find study booklets from multiple years to utilize as you practice for your event.  There are also practice tests and answer keys to check for understanding after studying.  You'll also find the official spelling list for this year.  It is important that you spell the words exactly as they appear on the list.  Words cannot be capitalized unless they are proper nouns.

Link to Study Materials (You must login with a BISD account to access the materials.)