Spelling.School · How to spell

How to spell read

What it means: To look at and understand written words.

In a sentence: I like to read books with my mom. ▶

The part people get wrong

Often misspelled as reed or red.

Sounds like, but is not: red. Same sound, different spelling and meaning.

Same family: reading, reader, reread, readable, misread. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: The verb "read" comes from Old English "rǣdan," which originally meant "to advise" or "to interpret" rather than just looking at written words. Over time, its meaning narrowed to understanding written text, but we still hear the older sense in phrases like "read the situation."

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.

Words like this

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