Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell performance

Performance is spelled P-E-R-F-O-R-M-A-N-C-E. Per + form + ance: PER before form, then an A in -ANCE.

What it means: A display of talent or skill.

In a sentence: The students gave a wonderful performance at the talent show. ▶

The part people get wrong

Watch for an unstressed vowel that is hard to hear.

Same family: performed, performing, performer, rehearsal. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: Performance comes from the verb ‘perform,’ which arrived in English from Old French ‘parfournir,’ meaning ‘to carry out completely.’ Over time, the word shifted from the idea of completing a task to also describing how well something is done, especially on stage.

Try spelling it

You will hear the word and a sentence. Type it and press Enter. Then four more words from the same level, so you know where you stand.

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