How to prepare for Scripps National Spelling Bee

Where the points actually are

Above the school level, spelling stops being memorisation and becomes pattern recognition. Serious spellers study language of origin: how Greek, Latin, French, German and Japanese loanwords behave in English. Knowing that a word came from Greek tells you a great deal about how to spell it, and that reasoning is what carries a speller through an unfamiliar word on stage.

Topic breakdown

01Language of origin

The core skill. Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese loanwords each follow recognisable patterns. This is what lets a speller attempt a word they have never seen.

02Roots and affixes

Greek and Latin roots recur constantly and unlock meaning as well as spelling, which matters for the vocabulary rounds.

03The official study lists

Scripps publishes School Spelling Bee and Words of the Champions lists free. These are the guaranteed material and the first thing to master.

04Vocabulary

The national bee includes vocabulary questions, so knowing what words mean is scored, not only how they are spelled.

05Stage protocol

Asking for definition, language of origin, part of speech and alternate pronunciations. Using the allowed questions well is a genuine competitive skill.

A study plan that works backwards from the date

1. Autumn Master the official Words of the Champions list. It is free and it is the guaranteed material for early rounds.
2. Winter Move to language of origin study. Group words by source language and learn the pattern rules rather than the individual spellings.
3. After winning regionals Work systematically through Merriam-Webster Unabridged by language of origin, and add vocabulary study, since the national bee tests meaning as well as spelling.
4. Final month Practise on stage protocol with someone playing pronouncer, including the questions you are allowed to ask. Composure is trainable.

Tips that come from the format itself

• Scripps publishes Words of the Champions free. Start there rather than buying anything.
• Ask every question you are permitted to ask on stage: definition, language of origin, part of speech, alternate pronunciations, use in a sentence. They are free information and they buy thinking time.
• Study by language of origin, not alphabetically. The patterns are what let you spell a word you have never encountered.
• The national bee tests vocabulary too, so learn meanings alongside spellings.

Practice resources

• Scripps National Spelling Bee official site Official · free

  Eligibility rules, school enrolment, regional sponsor directory and free study materials.

• Words of the Champions study list Practice · free

  The official free study list, organised by difficulty. The primary preparation resource.

• Merriam-Webster Unabridged Reference · paid

  The official dictionary of the competition. Subscription required, and it is the source from which words are drawn.

Past papers and official materials

• Official study lists and past word lists

  Published free by Scripps.

Videos worth your time

• Scripps National Spelling Bee channelScripps National Spelling Bee

  Broadcast finals, useful for learning stage protocol and pacing.

Skills this builds

• Word roots and etymology
• Language of origin patterns
• Vocabulary
• Composure under bright lights
• Systematic study habits

Read what other students said about preparing